How agencies can break through the $2 million revenue mark
Just 7% of Australian businesses ever make it past $2 million in annual revenue. Jenny Stilwell, business strategist, and author of The 7% Club, explains how marketing agencies can break into this elusive club.
In Australia, only 7% of businesses ever make it past $2 million in annual revenue. For marketing agencies, that milestone can feel especially elusive. You hustle, win work, build a team, and yet, somewhere around the $1–1.5 million mark, growth slows or stalls. The team is busy, the clients are demanding, and margins start to squeeze. Sound familiar?
This is the point where many agency founders hit a wall. But it’s not the end of the road, it’s a signal that something needs to shift. In my work with agency owners and other service-based founders, I’ve seen a clear pattern of what holds businesses back, and what helps them push through to that next level of growth.
Here’s what’s really going on and how to move forward.
Why agency growth stalls around $1–2M
At the $1–2M mark, most agency founders are still heavily involved in the delivery side of the business. They’re the rainmaker, the creative director, the strategist and sometimes even the account manager. The business is often built around their reputation, skills, and relationships. For the most part, they prefer it that way as they are reluctant to let go.
