Cactus

BACKGROUND

Introduce your organization and what you do there.

I’m the founder of  HN Communications. We are a small consultancy that provides services to large corporates on communication and leadership engagement around the environment, sustainability, and new technology.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

We wanted to understand what we needed to do in terms of business planning for the coming year ahead because we had recently won a large contract with a big corporate. Thus, we hired Cactus to provide people planning, financial planning, and forecasting services for us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired them specifically to help us understand where we needed to make the next hire, if we had the right financing structure in place, and how we're keeping our budgets on target while still growing at the same time.

They were aware of my business, having known me for a little while. I did provide them with some information about the specifics of our business, exactly where we were at, how we've grown over the past year, and who our existing clients were.

The services they provided were much more kind of strategic support. They used some sort of Excel spreadsheet format, and they filled that out in more specific detail.

What is the team composition?

We worked with Danny (Managing Consultant) and Mark (Managing Partner). Danny had more of a business management background while Mark specialized more on the financial side.

How did you come to work with Cactus?

I first engaged with them through their nonprofit arm called Agencynomics. I built up a relationship with them and then joined one of their mastermind courses about a year ago.

I specifically built a relationship with the two consultants. At the end of that year, I asked them if they would support me a little more directly.

How much have you invested with them?

We spent about £4,500 (approximately $6,000 USD).

What is the status of the engagement?

We worked with them from November–December 2021. We would like to reengage with them probably in July of this year to check in and see if we’re on track and what else we might need to do.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Cactus impacted our business positively — we’ve headed into 2022 with some very clear targets about what we need to hit. They gave us a clear and credible financial plan not only for the new year, but also for the next three years. They provided us with a template of the financial plan that we can take, detail out, and embed into our day-to-day business operations. 

They also gave us the confidence for us to know where to make our next hire, the type of skills that we are looking for, and the kind of costs that we can afford in order to do that. We wouldn’t be able to do this without their support and involvement.

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

They performed really well — the communication was always clear and structured, and they always checked in with me in advance to lay out the entire process in detail. There were no issues at all.

What did you find most impressive about them?

What differentiated them from other providers was their genuine desire to support our business and see it flourish. We really felt that throughout our engagement.

They were also extremely competent and highly knowledgeable in what they do. This established a level of trust between both sides as we had grown to know them and their capabilities.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I would've liked more time, but the cost would've been much higher. I had a fairly tight budget and did my best to utilize that within the duration of our engagement.

Any advice for potential customers?

Make sure to provide as much information and data as possible about your business. They’ve worked with different types of businesses before, so you have to be specific. By doing so, they’d be able to fully understand your business and deliver exactly what you need.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the managing director at a digital marketing agency covering SEO and PPC based in the UK. 

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

We hired Cactus to do business consulting for us. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We were asked to provide a list of 30 different pieces of information about our company, from marketing to finances. They analyzed the data and then presented us with the opportunities, weaknesses, and threats within our business framework. We dove into how we present ourselves to clients, our branding, our client base, and our rate of profitability. 

From there, Cactus developed actionable plans to improve our operations from every angle. Cactus split the strategy into two areas: finance and sales and marketing. For finance, they focused on cash flow, revenue tracking, setting plans for our business, and ensuring our contracts were ironclad. They helped us understand where our business came from on the sales and marketing side. 

What is the team composition?

We worked with 3–4 teammates from Cactus, including a project lead. 

How did you come to work with Cactus?

I found Cactus through a recommendation. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve invested £10,000–£20,000 (approximately $14,000–$27,000 USD) with Cactus. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We have an ongoing monthly contract with Cactus, which we first signed in September 2020. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

There are a lot of different factors involved in our success, but following our consultation with Cactus, our company has almost doubled in size regarding staffing and profits. Cactus helped us dial up every facet of the business, from our website, branding, and how we talk to clients. There is no part of the company that wasn't influenced by Cactus' work; I am 100% satisfied with the work Cactus did for us. 

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

Cactus had excellent project management — they stuck to schedules and budget. We communicated in various ways, including Zoom, phone calls, and WhatsApp. The project was done at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so everything was delivered virtually. However, we did have in-person meetings once the lockdown was lifted. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

I like that Cactus isn't just tossing out theories they read in a book. Everything Cactus suggests is borne from practical experience and their high success rate working with companies across the area. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don't have anything for them to improve. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Customers need to go into the engagement with an open mind and take on Cactus's suggestions. It's essential to execute Cactus' suggestions without holding anything back. 

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner and Managing Director of Copy House, a content marketing agency with a passion for words and an appetite for progress. Copy House specialises in technology and FinTech, helping brands build better relationships with their audience by explaining complex topics in creative, engaging ways to nurture leads through the funnel and boost revenue.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Cactus?

As a start-up agency, I needed guidance on all areas of running and growing the business. We had a very small team at the time, and I needed advice on how best to tackle everyday challenges and how to position us as experts in our industry to help us win clients.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Cactus has acted as our advisory board. Their experience in growing agencies to £5m and beyond has really helped Copy House overcome various operational challenges as well as market ourselves.

They don't only advise you based on their experience by constantly coming up with new ways of doing things. Since working with them our team has grown from 4 to 30 people and counting, we've won some major client wins and we've almost hit £1m mark in the year working with them.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

In each monthly board meeting Cactus reviews and advice on where the business is at, and what we need to work on to get us to the next level through strategic planning. Due to the great success of our work together, we have started with just 2 hours monthly meetings and now we will be extending these to 4 hours to help us grow strategically.

We have a clear agenda for each month to review the success of each department. We produce reports to showcase the performance of the finance, client services, sales and marketing, people and culture and the operational delivery teams.

We also take time, in the beginning, to go over any urgent business, and at the end of the meetings, we review all actions from the last meeting to keep us stay on track. This process works very well for us and helps Copy House move forward as a business.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We work closely with Spencer and Pete who are both Cactus Founding Partners on the overall business strategy and vision.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Since working with Cactus our business strategy is better than ever. We have repositioned our services to niching down to content services for tech brands. This has helped us slingshot our way of the pandemic, allowing us to meet some of our long-term goals ahead of the deadlines. In a space of a year, we've grown from a 4 to 30 person agency, almost hitting the £1m mark, and winning some of our biggest clients with their help.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

We meet for monthly board meetings to discuss where we are as a business from every operational level and plan a strategy for next month and beyond to ensure our short-term and long-term vision is met.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Spencer and Pete really understand the industry and are dedicated to helping you grow as if it was their own company. Their vision and passion for your business shine through. We couldn't be in better hands.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder and managing director of 28b, a software development technical consultancy for the pharmaceutical industry. We help brands, teams, and other agencies optimize their content for Veeva, a cloud solutions platform, to make sales effectively.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

We wanted to have an accelerated growth phase and a plan for future growth in terms of people and revenue. 

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

I have an entry-level service deal with Cactus, which includes 2 ½ hours of consulting a month. In our consultative meetings, we get into the finances, marketing, sales, and HR functions of our company. By August 2021, we’ll extend our sessions to full-day meetings, where we’ll dive deeper into our issues and how we can take advantage of opportunities. 

Moreover, we receive three key services from them. First, they advise us around the challenges we’re facing. Second, they give me a greater sense of responsibility since I have to report to them the progress of the things we do on a monthly basis. As an agency owner, maintaining that level of responsibility is difficult if I don’t have to report to anyone. The final and overarching service they give me is developing my knowledge and confidence in making big hiring and growth decisions. 

What is the team composition?

My advisors are Spencer (Agency Business Expert, Co-Founder & Joint CEO) and Pete (Co-Founder), and they have a team of people under their leadership. Those people include HR staff, PR experts, and legal advisors. 

How did you come to work with Cactus?

I’d known Spencer and Pete through organizations in which agencies gather, such as Agencynomics, a group that offers training, webcasts, and other resources for companies to achieve success. I was impressed by their experience in helping agencies grow and their knowledge about the challenges that such companies face. 

Moreover, a lot of other consultancies talked well about themselves but didn’t have the track record we needed. On the other hand, Cactus was extremely successful. I learned a lot about them from the agencies that they supported. Those agencies gave them extremely positive feedback for the outcomes that they delivered. Overall, there was plenty of trust and value in their services, so we hired them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent about £30,000 (approximately $41,000 USD). 

What is the status of this engagement?

We started collaborating in May 2020, and the relationship is ongoing. Prior to this engagement, we worked with them in December 2017, but it wasn't a fruitful time for our business.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Cactus has helped us double our turnover and team in the last 18 months. As a result, I’m looking forward to getting more services from them. 

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

Cactus has an excellent project manager who stays on top of everything. I never have to worry about anything, and meetings automatically appear on my agenda. Moreover, their team gets things done on time. If we need something from them, they can pretty much send it to us straight away or within a day. Given that, they’re spot on from efficiency and administration point of view. 

Likewise, the Cactus team is confident about their experience and knowledge; they’re not yes-men. They mean what they say, and our relationship is challenging in a good way. Their members aren’t rude, but they’re confident and clear, which is highly valuable when running an agency alone. To communicate, we mainly use emails and Zoom. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

Cactus has the necessary experience for our engagement, and they genuinely want us to be successful. That’s why they’re challenging us; they truly want to see us succeed and make the right decisions. To sum up, they provide a combination of trust, knowledge, and genuine desire to help their clients succeed. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

No, there aren’t any. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Listen to them — they know what they’re talking about.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m one of the four co-founders and the former managing director of Fountain Partnership. We are a digital marketing agency and have been in business since 2009.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

We started working with Cactus in 2017, around a time of really rapid growth for our business. We had known of them before that and were really excited when we were able to work with them closely and bring them on our Board in order to help us grow while avoiding the pitfalls of typical growth. If we didn’t have their help, we would have made a lot more mistakes along the way.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They helped us put in place some really effective metrics for how to run our business. It was everything from the percentage of turnover that we could reasonably spend on staffing, to policies on when to make hiring decisions. They make sure that we had a stream of A-players that we could contact when we were ready to make those hiring decisions. 

They have given us a framework that is very similar to what is written in their book, Agencynomics. That book has been our agency bible in terms of being a structure to follow as we expand to make sure that we don’t make decisions that would be detrimental to our long-term vision of growth.

What is the team composition?

We have worked with two people from Cactus on a regular basis.

How did you come to work with Cactus?

My business partner heard them speak at an event where Spencer (Co-Founder & CEO) was sharing some metrics that were really useful for agencies. After that, my business partner reached out to Spencer and said that he would love to talk. Spencer gave him some time, and we got some free headspace from him to help address some of the challenges that we were facing.

We then set ourselves a financial target to meet in order to then bring them on to work with us on a regular basis. As soon as we could, we started working with them.

How much have you invested in them?

We have spent about £160,000 (approximately $228,000 USD) so far.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2017, and we are still working with them.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They’ve been fundamental to us. We have more than doubled our turnover since we started working with them. We have consistently increased profit, and we are in a much stronger reserve position.

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

Our main communication with them is a monthly board meeting. We don’t have a huge amount of communication with them outside that apart from just sending them emails. They are available if we need anything via telephone or WhatsApp, and we just arrange a time to speak with them. They don’t use any project management tools with us.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are distinguished in two distinct ways. One is that they have direct experience of doing exactly what we are doing which is growing an agency. They have done it themselves and have been through the headaches, and they have seen the ups and downs. As consultants, the value of their experience in that space is incredibly beneficial.

The other way that they differentiate themselves is that they’ve built a system that is proven with a lot of agencies including ourselves. They are not just coming in with ideas of how things had worked in the past; they are constantly updating the Agencynomics model to be a practical way of working to scale an agency and to base decisions around growth rather than other metrics. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been moments when maybe the communication that we had with them was getting to be a bit of the same. At our monthly board meetings, we'd end up reporting to them on stats, discussing the same things. Then, the day was over. 

With the pandemic, they went off and did some amazing work to update their model to address everything else that was changing. Whenever they showed us that there were things that they needed to work on, they worked on them. Also, they brought us solutions rather than putting me in a situation where I had to point out their areas for improvement.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be really clear on your expectations and what you want them to do. They know so much about agency growth, so you as a person commissioning the work from them need to know a lot more about your agency and where you want to be. Building that bridge of understanding between the two is where the magic happens.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the director of Jago, and we offer personal branding for entrepreneurs and leaders.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

We needed help in scaling, repositioning our business, and making it profitable.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cactus’ involvement is mainly consultative, focusing on growth opportunities and course correction. They advise us to understand what we're doing, and identify what to avoid and what to focus on. They use a methodology that revolves around analyzing the financials of the business, knowing what marketing and sales activity to do, and how to trigger recruitment points in line with scaling the business. Ultimately, they make us understand what we need to do in terms of our revenue targets and how that impacts our hiring.

In terms of format, it's almost like a board meeting once a month. We use Cactus’ tools, which are mainly spreadsheet formulas. For example, we have a revenue tracker that measures and forecasts the cash that's going to come into our business based on our invoicing. 

They also have a tool for managing our pipeline, which enables us to understand what we're working on and what prospects we're engaging with. It allows us to see what we've won and lost, and it can measure the likelihood of converting a prospect. They do that through something called a quality score, which is a matrix of one or zero questions — that generates a calculation of the revenue we're likely to win for one client, and it aggregates the overall profit that we're working with. The tool gives us a minimum expected revenue that we're supposed to convert in a time period. 

The tool has been revolutionary for us. Typically, we've only used our CRM to retrospectively look at our pipeline, so it's very hard for us to tell what we've won and lost, and understand the other metrics that go with our pipeline. 

In addition, they provide us support for our questions and help us look for opportunities for marketing. If it's related to recruitment, they’ll advise what we should do; if it's about marketing, we look at our finances and how much run rate we've got in terms of cash. Cactus knows what the benchmarks are and what we should be looking at in terms of profitability, cash flow, revenue per head, and others — their pipeline tool is a huge part of that analysis. 

What is the team composition?

I work primarily with Peter (Co-Founder & CEO) and Spencer (Co-Founder & CFO), but I also work with is Abbe (Executive Assistant).

How did you come to work with Cactus?

I joined the consulting industry in 2014, but I didn't really do any networking. I decided to put myself out there, and at the first event I went to, I saw Spencer talking on stage. I connected with his speech, vision, and style. I approached him, but at the time, we were too small and I couldn't work with him. 

About a year later, they came up with a new proposition for slightly smaller businesses. I chose Cactus because they had been there and done it; they even wrote a book on scaling and agencies called Agencynomics. I heard a lot of good testimony coming from industry people that I knew and admired. I thought they were a good choice based on all those different factors, so I reached out to them and they agreed to work with me.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent around $20,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in November 2019, and it’s ongoing. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Since Cactus helped us reposition, we've achieved 300% growth in revenue and a 10% increase in net profit. The focus for us was to increase revenue and scale our operations, since profitability wasn't ever an issue. I'm happy with the turnaround that has happened because despite the pandemic we’ve scaled faster than we ever expected. 

It has been a breath of fresh air to have accountability. Previously, that was missing from me as a business owner, and that was probably one of the reasons why we struggled to scale. Now we have the instincts — it's almost like there's an accountability relationship, but it's very supportive and understanding, yet it is driven by performance. We’ve really enjoyed having Cactus to support us; it's been reassuring that we've got two guys that have been there and done it for themselves and many other agencies. We feel like we're in good hands, and we wouldn't have it any other way. 

The dynamic was quite well between Cactus’ team. We feel like we’re getting a good mix of skill sets and experience. We’re more focused on sales and marketing, as well as financial management. They made finance fun and interesting, compared to being boring and mundane, and so we’re more engaged with it. Thus, our business is benefiting from better financial management. 

We also benefit from their expertise in sales and marketing, and they have a two-point plan, which includes different activities and allows you to crosscheck what you should be doing and identify gaps. It’s been brilliant. 

Cactus is always thinking of new ways and opportunities for us to grow as a business. There are always actionable tasks out of every board meeting and we review and follow up on that. Their solutions have been fantastic, and they contribute to hitting our targets. 

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

Abbe deals with that, and she's very good at managing all my diaries, reminders, and communication. Our workflow is flawless. Absolute top mark score for setting the right expectations and arranging our schedule.

What did you find most impressive about them?

For me, I’m impressed with the composed calmness of Cactus’ approach in an otherwise frantic and stressful year. They reassured us, which translated to our team saying this is going to be OK, we can do it, we can do these things, make it happen, and survive the challenges. I think their experience, wisdom, and tools have helped us gain the confidence to grow and scale. 

Cactus has a good business approach and way of working with different people. They're very relational, and we have built good relationships with them. There’s trust and open conversations between us, which I value and respect. Our conversations aren’t restrained. We get to the heart of problems and solving them, and they come from a place of respect, honesty, and good advice. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

They can have a note-taking service, something that documents what everyone is saying during board meetings. We do use a spreadsheet for documenting major issues, but having a note-taking service would be ideal for us. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Whatever stage you're at within your business, there is always something to learn. Because Cactus works with so many agencies at different levels, they're always going to add value. 

Understand what problem you're looking to solve. Make sure your message is loud and clear so you can hold their team accountable, and you can celebrate success when it happens. cou

Cactus has helped many people scale, and they're the real deal. You also need to hold yourself accountable, be prepared to engage with them with an open mind, and you have to make it happen. They can only give you the advice, but you have to act on their advice to achieve success.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

We are a digital agency that builds websites and software products for startups that try enterprise businesses. We have 50 people in the company and I am the CEO.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

We were looking to scale the business quickly, so we started working with Cactus.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Cactus joins our board meeting every month to advise us. They act as consultants who’re focused on the growth of the business.

What is the team composition?

There are two people assigned to us. Spencer (Co-Founder & Joint CEO) is pretty much the sales and marketing expert and Pete (Co-Founder) brings the finance expertise. 

How did you come to work with Cactus?

Cactus was personally recommended by a mutual friend who had worked with them before. We did a day of consulting with a standalone, and when it went very well, we decided to engage with them. 

How much have you invested with them?

We spend about £40,000 (approximately $55,000 USD) a year for their services.

What is the status of this engagement?

We engaged with them four years ago, in December 2017. We’re still working together.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

When we began working with Cactus, we had $1,500,000 in revenue. Thus far, they’ve helped us scale to $5,000,000. The most significant and sustained growth is that we’ve tripled the size of the business in just under four years. We’ve done a complete organizational restructure in that time as well, going from 18 to 50 people.

I’m sure we could’ve gotten there on our own, but we made fewer mistakes, and learned from these mistakes better, by working with Cactus. We were given a shortcut to our journey, as it might’ve taken us 6–7 years instead of 3–4 to achieve results. 

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

Before the pandemic, their team would come into our office once a month for a full day. Now, we meet over Zoom, which I thought was going to be challenging but definitely works well. I’m surprised at how good it is.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When we started working with Cactus, we saw that the personality fit and culture alignment was really good. We’ve worked with consultants who are just as competent as them but were more fixed on the process rather than the people. We’re a people business, so the fact that Cactus is made of people-focused individuals is a big thing. 

They’ve obviously been very successful themselves, in their own career, before they went into consulting, so we felt that they bring a level of knowledge from having been there and done that. A lot of the advice they give comes from their personal experience. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not really. It’s been a huge success for us.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

We always look to Cactus for advice. We tell them about our problems and they would give recommendations on how to solve those. However, at the end of the day, you have to find that balance and combination of what solution is right for you. Their team consults with numerous other agencies, and one thing doesn’t exactly work the same for everyone. Take their suggestions and tweak it to your organization, culture, and people. 

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the founder of Thursday. We’re a design agency.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Cactus?

I was looking to buy-out my business partner and then grow the business.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Effectively, they operate as a non-executive board, where we have monthly board meetings to review the whole business. At the outset, they helped me set objectives for the business, and now they advise on every aspect of the business, from the structure and people to the finances, cash flow, sales, marketing pipelines, and more.

They’re my sounding board and are available on a day-to-day basis via email or phone call if I need support. At one point, they even helped me acquire another agency.

Recruitment has also benefitted us. They both send candidates my way and help with the interview process.

What is the team composition?

I work with the two key principles: Pete and Spencer (Co-Founders). Spencer is focused on the sales and marketing side, and Peter is a qualified accountant. He acts effectively as my financial director.

How did you come to work with Cactus?

Spencer reached out to me via LinkedIn, and we had a brief chat. At our initial meeting, I discussed my position, and we established some initial work, which later formalized into a long-term relationship.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent around £200,000 (approximately $276,500 USD) with them.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in January 2016, and our relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

The quality of their work is exceptional, which is why I’ve been working with them for five years. Certainly, my agency wouldn’t be where it is without them. I met them when we had 7–8 people and now we have over 20 so, in terms of growth — what I was looking for — they’ve been fantastic. They’ve also brought leads into the business via people that have approached them or that they know in their network.

How did Cactus perform from a project management standpoint?

We work together through a set of documents for things like cash flow, board minutes, or agenda.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their knowledge of the industry stands out, and their breadth of understanding is exceptional. Cactus has amazing networks. People-wise, they're nice to work with as well. They’ve got great a balance of hard and soft skills as well, with their technical, financial, and legal expertise, and then their sales, marketing, and culture experience.

Are there any areas they could improve?

It’s hard to say, really. Over time, there have been moments when cash flow has been tight and I’ve wondered if it was wise to be paying out for consultancy, but, ultimately, I realize that the value they bring is always beneficial.

The only criticism could be that they maybe spread themselves a bit too thin. There’s always something making them busy, so it’s hard to get time in their book if you want to speak with them.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Go for it. I say that to agency owners quite often.