Why We Stopped Being an Agency
Why We Stopped Being an Agency
After 15 years of building products for clients, we made a fundamental shift. Here's what we learned and why we now only partner with founders on an equity or hybrid basis.
The Agency Model Problem
For years, we operated like most development agencies. Clients would come to us with an idea, we'd quote a price, build the thing, and move on to the next project. On paper, it worked. We shipped hundreds of projects, built a reputation, and kept the lights on.
But something was off.
The best products we ever built - the ones that scaled to millions of users and generated real returns - came from a different kind of relationship. They came when we were genuinely invested in the outcome.
What Changed
In 2019, we made a decision: no more pure consulting. Every engagement would involve some form of partnership - whether that's equity, revenue share, or a hybrid of paid work plus upside.
The results were immediate:
- Better founder alignment: When we own a piece of the outcome, we care about the right things. Not just "is it built to spec?" but "will this actually work?"
- Longer-term thinking: We're not optimising for billable hours. We're optimising for success over 3-5 years.
- Saying no more often: We now turn down 90% of opportunities. That sounds painful, but it means the 10% we say yes to get our full attention.
The Numbers
Since making this shift:
- Average engagement length went from 6 months to 3+ years
- Portfolio company exits: 25+
- Our stress levels (unquantifiable, but significant)
Who This Works For
This model isn't for everyone. It works when:
- You're building something ambitious: - If you just need a website, hire an agency. If you're building a platform that could scale to millions, let's talk.
- You value long-term partnership: - We become part of your team, not just vendors.
- You're open to honest feedback: - We'll tell you when something won't work. That's part of the deal.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Most founders don't need more developers. They need a technical co-founder or founding team. Someone who will argue with them, push back on bad ideas, and stay up late debugging production issues because they genuinely care.
That's what we offer. Not code-for-hire. Partnership.
Building something ambitious? Let's talk.