The Perfect Mixology of Faith and Strategy – Local Image
Holly Bruns and Amber McDonald of Local Image share how daring action, trust in their instincts, and strategic growth fueled their agency’s success. Learn why betting on yourself before the perfect plan is ready can be the real key to building a thriving business.
What if the secret to building a successful agency wasn’t perfect planning but daring action followed by smart strategy? In the latest episode of An Agency Story, Holly Bruns and Amber McDonald, founders of Local Image, reveal how trusting their instincts, embracing risk, and later layering in strategy helped them build one of the most dynamic local marketing agencies around.
If you’ve ever wondered when to take the leap versus when to play it safe, this episode is for you.
You can listen to this episode of An Agency Story on your favorite podcast app:
Episode Summary
In this episode, hosts sit down with Holly Bruns and Amber McDonald, co-founders of Local Image, to unpack the journey from risk-takers to strategic business builders. Holly and Amber share what it was really like betting on themselves before the perfect plan was in place — and how the right mix of hope and execution created lasting success.
Biggest takeaways from this conversation:
Why bold action often needs to come before detailed planning
The hiring lessons every growing agency must learn early
How maintaining strong company values fuels real, sustainable growth
Key Takeaways and Lessons
Faith First, Strategy Second
Holly and Amber didn’t wait for the “perfect moment” — they trusted their instincts first, then learned to refine and back their risks with strong operational strategies. Their journey proves that believing in the mission is essential before strategy can truly take hold.
“At some point, you realize it’s not about having every step figured out — it’s about trusting you’ll figure it out once you’re moving.”
The #1 Hiring Mistake to Avoid
The founders share a critical hiring mistake that nearly disrupted their team: rushing into hires without doing full due diligence. They emphasize that in the fast-paced agency world, it’s easy to let urgency drive decisions — but slowing down to check references, evaluate mindset, and ensure alignment with company culture is crucial.
Scaling With Values, Not Just Revenue
Instead of scaling recklessly, Holly and Amber stayed rooted in their core values. Maintaining company culture as the team grew became a foundational part of their success. They credit their growth not just to new business wins, but to intentionally building a team that shares the same belief in service, collaboration, and client trust.
Subscribe to An Agency Story on your favorite podcast app for more real stories from agency owners. Loved what you heard? Leave a review or share this episode with someone building their agency from the ground up.
