How to Build Agency Culture That Scales | The Ad Project Ep. 178

Two founders. Two agencies. One ecosystem. In this episode, Joe Shelerud sits down with Mark Power — co-founder and Chief Engagement Officer at Podean — to get real about what building a marketing agency actually looks like, from the early scrappy days to navigating acquisitions and keeping culture intact through it all. Mark shares his 30-year journey through the evolution of digital marketing, from building one of London's first email marketing agencies to co-founding Podean eight years ago with Travis Johnson after spotting a major gap in how brands were treating Amazon. Joe opens up about his own unlikely path — chemical engineering to Amazon seller to agency founder — and what excited him most about joining forces with Podean. Together, they dig into the stuff that actually matters when building a people-first business: culture, transparency, trust, and how to keep it all alive as you grow. Timestamps: • 0:00 – Welcome & Introductions • 2:05 – Mark's 30-year career journey: London, email marketing & content • 5:14 – From IPG to founding Podean: spotting the Amazon opportunity • 6:23 – Joe's founding story: chemical engineer → Amazon seller → Ad Advance • 8:53 – Defining culture: why it's not just a list of values • 9:24 – Podean's "Positive Energy" umbrella and how it came to be • 13:40 – Markers of cultural health: what the first 30 days tell you • 16:04 – Building culture remotely: what actually works • 19:00 – Transparency = Trust: sharing the good, bad, and ugly • 21:56 – Navigating the Ad Advance × Podean acquisition • 25:37 – What's next: introducing the new Power × Craver show • 29:45 – Closing thoughts & what's ahead Subscribe for weekly episodes on Amazon advertising, agency growth, and commerce strategy.