From Overwhelmed Founder To Thriving 8-Figure CEO
Corey Quinn
Founder, Deep Specialization™
Is your business running you, or are you running your business? Sarah Durham shares how she transformed a generalist agency into an 8-figure nonprofit PR firm.
Is your business running you, or are you running your business?
My next guest on The Vertical Go-To-Market Podcast is Sarah Durham, Founder and CEO of Big Duck
I recently sat down with Sarah to learn how she transformed her generalist marketing agency into an 8-figure PR and Communications firm specializing in the non-profit sector. We get into the details of why she decided to specialize her firm, how she did it, the impact of authoring books, and much more.
Links to the episode:
Enjoy!
CQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Sarah Durham decide to specialize Big Duck in the non-profit sector specifically?
A deliberate strategic decision discussed directly in the episode, moving away from a generalist marketing agency toward deep specialization in PR and communications specifically for non-profit organizations.
How did specializing actually help transform Big Duck into an 8-figure firm?
By narrowing focus to build the kind of depth and expertise that a generalist agency couldn't achieve, specialization directly contributed to the growth that took Big Duck to its current scale.
What role did authoring books play in Sarah Durham's growth strategy?
A meaningful contributor discussed in the episode, books helping build credibility and visibility within the non-profit sector as part of her broader specialization strategy.
How does the question "is your business running you, or are you running your business" connect to Sarah Durham's journey?
It frames the broader theme of the conversation, exploring how deliberate specialization and strategic decisions, rather than just reactive day-to-day management, allowed Sarah Durham to actually direct Big Duck's growth rather than simply responding to it.
What does Sarah Durham's transition reveal about moving from generalist to specialized agency work?
That a full transformation is possible, and can lead to significant growth, when specialization is approached deliberately and paired with supporting strategies like content and authorship that reinforce credibility within the chosen niche.
About Corey Quinn
Founder, Deep Specialization™
Corey helps founder-led agencies scale through Deep Specialization™ and programmatic M&A. Former CMO of Scorpion ($20M to $200M). Author of "Anyone, Not Everyone."
