[Podcast] Building an Agency Holding Company

"All our holding company agencies are homegrown.” – Peter Kang, Co-Founder of Barrel Holdings

(🎙️ listen now)

Peter started out running a website agency some 20 years ago. Today, he has grown it into a sprawling portfolio of agencies, all homegrown under a single holding company umbrella.

In this episode, we cover:

• Peter’s journey from an agency founder to a holding company builder.

• The role of partners like Shopify and Webflow in scaling an agency business.

• His holding company origin story, and what Peter’s holding company offers today.

• What he’s learned in 20+ years in the digital agency business.

Actionable key takeaways for agency founders: 

• Lean into fast-growing partners in the ecosystem to drive lead flow.

• Having a client pool that is too varied is a resource suck; consider spinning independent divisions to reduce friction.

• Improve margins by developing reusable components for the products you’re selling.

• Make sure incentives are aligned with those who are going to be leading your business for overall success. 

🎧 Listen to the episode now:

• Podcast Website 

• Apple Podcasts 

• YouTube 

• Spotify

• Amazon Music

Sharing is caring! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a few friends who might find it useful. Thanks!

Best,

CQ

P.S. Please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, and be sure to hit the subscribe button!

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Peter Kang mean by saying all Barrel Holdings agencies are "homegrown"?

That each agency within the portfolio was built internally rather than acquired externally, a deliberate approach to growing the holding company organically from within rather than through outside acquisitions.

How did partners like Shopify and Webflow help scale Barrel Holdings' agency business?

By driving consistent lead flow through the broader platform ecosystem, a growth channel discussed directly in the episode as a key contributor to scaling multiple agencies under one holding company.

Why does having too varied a client pool create friction, according to Peter Kang?

Because a client base spanning too many different needs becomes a resource suck, straining operations. Spinning off independent divisions to serve more specific client types reduces that friction and allows each division to operate more efficiently.

How can developing reusable components for products actually improve margins?

By reducing the need to build custom solutions from scratch for every client, reusable components streamline delivery, discussed directly as a practical way Barrel Holdings improves profitability across its portfolio.

Why does incentive alignment matter so much for a holding company with multiple agency leaders?

Because those leading each individual agency need to be genuinely motivated toward the success of their specific business, not just their own compensation, ensuring the incentives driving leadership decisions actually serve the broader holding company's success.