Why I Stopped Running an Agency — And What I Learned
In 2016, starting a web design agency felt like the logical next step. I’d been freelancing, building small websites, taking on whatever work came through referrals, and trying to carve out space in a crowded market. Back then, “running an agency” was still seen as a badge of seriousness.
But over time, the economics changed, the market changed, and—most importantly—I changed.
In 2023, after years of grinding, learning, failing, adjusting, and stubbornly trying to turn KUMA Marketing into something scalable, I realized the truth:
I wasn’t building a company. I was building a job.
A stressful one, at that.
Shutting the agency down wasn’t a moment of defeat. It was an inflection point.
It forced me to rethink how I work, who I serve, and where I create the most value. In 2025, looking back with far more clarity, I can see the decision for what it really was:
the start of my actual career.
What Changed
There were three realizations that ultimately pushed me in a new direction:
1. Clients weren’t hiring “the agency.” They were hiring me.
Every project—from the simplest small business site to custom app work—closed because of trust, not “agency positioning.” The brand name didn’t matter. People cared about the relationship.
2. The agency model incentivized the wrong things.
I spent more time quoting, negotiating, and managing expectations than actually building. Creative and technical quality were constantly pressured by budget constraints.
It made me a worse builder, not a better one.
3. The market became saturated, loud, and low-trust.
Cheap offshore dev shops, AI-generated cookie-cutter agencies, and course-driven “SMMA founders” diluted perceived value across the entire industry.
I didn’t want to compete in that ecosystem.
I didn’t belong in that ecosystem.
A Quick Look Back: My First Real Turning Point
(Condensed Case Study)
To understand why leaving the agency world was so important, it helps to revisit one of the last big projects I took on—and what it taught me about the kind of work I actually want to do.
The Challenge
A small business owner needed a website that could generate trust and predictable leads. She had the hustle, the product, and the experience—but no presence online and no digital credibility.
The Solution
I guided her through StoryBrand-style positioning, clarified her message, simplified the user journey, and built a lean website optimized for calls and contact form conversions.
The Results
- Inquiries quadrupled
- Sales increased 2.5×
- She built a defensible digital presence almost overnight
It was one of the clearest examples of how thoughtful design + clear messaging can create real business results.
But ironically, it was also proof that I didn’t need an entire “agency” infrastructure to deliver meaningful work.
Clients were coming for me—not the logo.
What This Means for My Work Today
Shutting down the agency created space for what I do now:
- IT consulting
- Digital transformation work
- Enterprise support for international brands in Japan
- Building software, tools, and systems that actually last
- Working deeply instead of broadly
It also gave me back something I didn’t realize I had lost:
the joy of building things well.
Looking back, closing the agency wasn’t the end of anything.
It was a transition—from being a generalist-for-hire to becoming a specialist with a clear path.
And I’m far better for it.