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The Handbook: The Operations Podcast

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Agency Operations
Agency Marketing
Client Retention
Change Management
Chime Agency
Project Management
Leadership
Agency Marketing Benchmark Report
Agency Positioning
Content Marketing
Productivity
Remote Working
Company Culture
Account Management
Operational Efficiency
Freelance Marketing Support
Professional Services Automation
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Business Maturity
Community Building

Running a serviced based business, an agency or consultancy isn’t just about great client work. It’s about keeping everything behind the scenes running smoothly.

That’s where The Handbook comes in. Our goal? To help you take your business to the next level of business maturity.

This podcast is for operations and service-business leaders who are juggling it all – people, processes, finance, tech... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes55Founded2 years ago
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BusinessMarketing

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Artwork for The Handbook: The Operations Podcast

Latest Episodes

The work we produce gets all the attention.

But the real question is: what’s happening behind the scenes that makes that work possible?

In this episode of The Handbook, Harv sits down with creative operations expert Nicky Russell, co-founder of WDC... more

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Have you heard of The Handbook: Breakfast Sessions?

These are intimate breakfast roundtables where we dive into big operational topics with leaders from forward-thinking agencies and consultancies.

The next one is coming up on 19 March in London, a... more

Your numbers might look healthy.

Revenue’s up. Projects are flowing. The pipeline feels… fine.

But underneath? Margins are eroding. Cash is tighter than you’d like. And no one’s totally confident in the data they’re using to make decisions.

In thi... more

YouTube

AI is moving fast in professional services firms. 

And while most conversations focus on efficiency gains and new tools, the harder questions are around risk – ownership, liability, and what happens when AI use goes wrong.

In this episode of The Ha... more

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Recent Guests

Nicky Russell
Co-founder and managing partner of WDC, We Deliver Change; chair of Creative Operations Summit London; co-founder of IHULK (In-House Agency Leaders Club)
WDC London
Episode: Why Ops Is Really About Culture (Not Just Process) with Nicky Russell
Dom Hawes
Marketing services executive with experience leading 11 acquisitions and scaling a marketing services group to 22 million pounds in 30 months
(not explicitly stated in transcript)
Episode: Live event: Run like you're looking to sell, 19 March
Robert Patin
Expert who works at the intersection of finance, delivery operations, pricing, and strategy for agencies and consultancies
Episode: From 11% to 43% Net Profit – Fixing the Fundamentals with Robert Patin
Sharon Toerek
IP attorney advising agencies and consultancies on ownership, contracts, and AI compliance
Independent law practice / IP advisory
Episode: 5 AI Guardrails COOs Need to Put in Place Today with Sharon Toerek
Jason Swenk
Agency founder turned advisor who coaches agencies on scaling
Agency Mastery / Smart Agency Masterclass
Episode: The 8 Systems Every COO Needs to Scale with Jason Swenk
Michael Wark
Fractional CFO, Chartered Accountant, founder of Trimline
Trimline
Episode: Scaling Effort, Not Results? This is your wake-up call – with Michael Wark
Adam Cooper
Founder of ACC Finance Solutions and host of the Fractional CFO Show
ACC Finance Solutions
Episode: How to Run Annual Planning Like a CFO (Even If You’re Not One) with Adam Cooper
Luke Alexander
Chief Digital and AI Officer at Four
Four
Episode: Beyond Experiments: What It Really Takes to Operationalize AI with Luke Alexander
Aušrinė Keršanskaitė
Co-founder of Operations Nation, a community for operations professionals
Operations Nation
Episode: Becoming Better Ops Leaders: Lessons from Operations Nation

Host

Harv Nagra
Host of The Handbook: The Operations Podcast, with deep focus on scaling service-based businesses and operational maturity; frequent sponsor integrations and platform mentions

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 70 ratings
  • So nice to feel part of an ops community!

    This podcast has helped me understand where to focus my attention as an ops leader. The guests have been amazing and Harv asks really useful questions that offer advice I can actually implement.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Monica2929
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Harv asks thoughtful questions that surface actionable takeaways.
Listeners value practical, implementable insights and real-world case studies.
Guests are generally seen as high-caliber operators or experts, contributing substantive frameworks and guidance.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How to Run Annual Planning Like a CFO (Even If You’re Not One) with Adam Cooper
Q: what makes a forecast useful for decision-making beyond the finance team?
Link forecasts to KPIs (financial and non-financial), involve leadership and delivery teams, and treat the forecast as a living document that informs hiring, resource planning, and service delivery.
How to Run Annual Planning Like a CFO (Even If You’re Not One) with Adam Cooper
Q: how should a forecasting process work in a typical agency or consultancy?
Start with a kickoff meeting led by the CEO/MD and CFO, then have bottom-up budgets from budget holders, consolidate them top-down, and run a second round to finalize the budget; then track actuals and run quarterly reforecasts.
How to Run Annual Planning Like a CFO (Even If You’re Not One) with Adam Cooper
Q: finance should be the sat nav, not the rear view mirror—can you explain what you mean by that?
You should look forward using forecasting, planning, and analysis, not just at last month or the tax return; use history to inform direction, but let forecasts guide decisions and strategy.
Beyond Experiments: What It Really Takes to Operationalize AI with Luke Alexander
Q: How do you move from experimentation to business as usual with AI at Four?
By implementing AI fluency training, identifying real use cases, and deploying rapid pilots and central tools that enable scalable, repeatable AI-enabled workflows across delivery, finance, and client work.
Beyond Experiments: What It Really Takes to Operationalize AI with Luke Alexander
Q: What does the Chief Digital and AI Officer role entail, and why has Four invested in an AI team?
The role focuses on applying AI to the business operationally, building a center of excellence, and driving transformation across processes, with a strong emphasis on AI fluency and centralized support to accelerate practical, value-driven use cases.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Handbook: The Operations Podcast

What is The Handbook: The Operations Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show targets leaders in service-based businesses such as agencies and consultancies, focusing on scaling operations, profitability, and governance. Episodes consistently explore topics like creative/ops integration, financial discipline, AI governance, PSA vs ERP, and practical frameworks for growth, with guests who are practitioners, operators, and advisors sharing actionable playbooks. A standout pattern is the emphasis on operational maturity, cross-functional leadership, and the human aspects of building resilient teams, all grounded in real-world case studies and vendor-specific insights. The format often blends frameworks, attendee-friendly takeaways, and practical steps listeners can implement, making it useful for listeners seek... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Handbook: The Operations Podcast?

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1. The Book Club
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The Handbook: The Operations Podcast launched 2 years ago and published 55 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Handbook: The Operations Podcast?

Recent guests on The Handbook: The Operations Podcast include:

1. Nicky Russell
2. Dom Hawes
3. Robert Patin
4. Sharon Toerek
5. Jason Swenk
6. Michael Wark
7. Adam Cooper
8. Luke Alexander

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