How to Run a “Direct-to-Expert” Digital Product Agency That Clients Actually Trust

Behind the Agency Podcast with JP Holecka, CEO + Founder of Power Shifter

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Prefer the highlights? Key takeaways and summary below.

TL;DR – Key Takeaways

• Power Shifter was built because JP was tired of the “agency knows best” vibe when he was on a big-brand client team.

• Their core philosophy: “Direct to Expert” — agency experts + client experts co-create together (no gatekeepers, no bottlenecks).

• JP hates “ta-da decks” (big reveal presentations). He prefers early, often, and sometimes ugly so teams can test + iterate.

• One of his biggest lessons: fail faster and pull the plug sooner—small failures beat near-catastrophic ones (2018 was a wake-up call).

• They tried a more traditional client-services layer (because consultants told them to) and it broke relationships + team morale fast. Going back to co-creation fixed it.

• Specialization matters, but JP challenges the “everyone must pick a vertical” advice: vertical focus can increase talent churn due to repetitive work.

• As referrals get less reliable, JP’s pushing into multi-channel marketing: targeted outbound, paid search, SEO/content, and a podcast.

• Retention comes from trust + empathy + proactive onboarding (ex: Loom “what to expect” videos before workshops, primers for tools like Miro).

Meet the Guest

JP Holecka is the CEO and Founder of Power Shifter, a digital transformation agency that builds digital products (web apps, mobile apps, and websites). JP’s team has worked with major enterprise brands (including top global apparel brands), and they’ve become known for helping teams who’ve been burned by past agency experiences.

JP built Power Shifter after spending time on a large telecom brand team as the client — and deciding there had to be a better way for agencies to work with clients.

Episode Summary

1. From frustrated client to agency founder

JP didn’t start Power Shifter because he “always wanted an agency.”

He started it because he’d lived the client-side chaos: big agencies, big decks, big reveals… and a coin-flip chance the “big idea” actually fit.

So he built the kind of agency he wished he could hire: created by clients, for clients — “all the best of an agency, none of the worst.”

2. The core tension: agencies over-index on certainty

JP calls out a pattern that’s painfully common:

Agencies act like the hero, show up with answers, and don’t tap into the expertise sitting right across the table — the people living the business every day.

“We got this. We know you’re busy. We got this.”

But the client is busy and they’re often the true subject matter expert. Ignoring that is how you get misalignment, churn, and failed work.

3. Their unique approach: co-creation over big reveals

Power Shifter avoids the “ta-da moment” style of delivery.

Instead, they work early and often and sometimes ugly — which is basically saying:

• show progress sooner

• get feedback faster

• iterate together

• reduce the risk of betting everything on a single reveal

JP ties this directly to longer client relationships because they “co-exist” with clients instead of operating like a detached vendor.

4. Framework, method, or mental model

Here’s the simple structure JP kept coming back to:

• Agency created by clients, for clients

• Direct-to-Expert

  • Agency experts + client experts co-create

  • Remove gatekeepers and bottlenecks

• Avoid “ta-da decks”

  • Replace with iterative work + fast feedback loops

• No “we do everything” promises

  • Specialize (they chose product/tech specialty)

  • Partner transparently for adjacent needs (content, performance, analytics) instead of pretending

He also shared a practical positioning insight: tech-stack specialization can make your market too small, while vertical specialization can create talent boredom + churn.

5. Common mistake or ‘cringe’ moment

Two big ones:

• Not getting comfortable with failure

  • JP admits it took him too long to internalize “fail fast”

  • Waiting too long turns small failures into near-catastrophic ones

• Letting “traditional client services” create a wall

  • They tried a heavier client-services layer (consultant advice)

  • Within months: relationships and team morale dropped

  • Fix: go back to direct-to-expert and remove the bottlenecks

6. Where the founder/leader still belongs

JP didn’t say “founders should disappear.”

He’s still deeply involved in:

• shaping positioning

• designing the client experience

• leading the shift from referral-only growth into multi-channel acquisition

• setting cultural principles that keep churn low and standards high

7. Hiring, scaling, or process lessons

JP’s take on hiring was refreshingly un-sexy (which is usually a good sign):

• Use a repeatable hiring process (he recommends the book Who: The A Method for Hiring / “Hiring A Players” concept)

• Build a culture people want to join

• Treat Glassdoor like Yelp: you may hate it, but candidates use it

• Client-facing autonomy helps retention:

  • when juniors see their ideas make it into real work, they stick around

Retention isn’t just perks. It’s letting people do meaningful work with real ownership.

Notable Quotes

“Early and often and sometimes ugly.”

“Avoid ta-da moments at all costs.”

“There’s bad money and good money.”

“When we sign a client, our number one job is to get trust going.”

Learn More / Get in Touch

LinkedIn → JP Holecka (publishing regularly)

(JP referenced his LinkedIn profile as the best place to connect.)

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