What are agency standards?
What are agency standards?
Agency standards are the non-negotiable agreements that define how an agency works: what is and isn’t accepted in positioning, pricing, client selection and delivery. They aren’t guidelines or good intentions, but fixed standards that keep holding when the pressure rises, even when the founder isn’t there.
The term was coined by Chris Out, who scaled his own agency from 10 to 85 people, sold it in 2020, and has since run more than 2,000 sessions with agency founders. He’s known as the Creator of Agency Standards.
Agency standards are the non-negotiable agreements that define how an agency works: what is and isn’t accepted in positioning, pricing, client selection and delivery. They aren’t guidelines or good intentions, but fixed standards that keep holding when the pressure rises, even when the founder isn’t there.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, every decision runs through the founder, margins swing, and the same problems return every quarter. With standards, decisions are made where they belong, margins stay stable, and the agency scales calmly, even under pressure.
The term was coined by Chris Out, who scaled his own agency from 10 to 85 people, sold it in 2020, and has since run more than 2,000 sessions with agency founders. He’s known as the Creator of Agency Standards.
Worked with agencies in Europe, North America and Australia.
Why standards decide whether growth frees you or buries you
There are two kinds of growth. One buries you, the other frees you. The difference isn’t how much revenue you make, but whether there are standards underneath that growth.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, every decision runs through the founder, margins swing, and the same problems return every quarter. With standards, decisions are made where they belong, margins stay stable, and the agency scales calmly, even under pressure.
Without standards, growth buries you: decisions stall, the founder stays the bottleneck, margins swing, and the same fires return each quarter.
With standards, growth frees you: decisions land where they belong, every decision has one owner, profit is predictable, and the agency stays steady under pressure.
More revenue without standards mostly means more hours, more stress, and less margin. That’s the difference between scaling and grinding.
The four levers of an agency standard
A standard is only a standard when it’s secured on four levers. Standards define what’s non-negotiable. Structure defines how work and decisions flow. Ownership defines where accountability sits. Enforcement keeps the standard standing under pressure. Standards without structure are just good intentions; structure without ownership erodes; ownership without enforcement won’t survive a busy day. Together, the four levers make a standard that keeps working.
The difference between a standard and a rule
A rule tells you what to do. A standard tells you what you won’t accept, regardless of the circumstances. A rule bends the moment it’s convenient. A standard holds precisely when it gets uncomfortable. That’s why Chris’s course is called “Non-Negotiable Agency Standards”. The word non-negotiable is the core: a standard you drop the moment a client pushes or a quarter goes badly was never a standard.
Why standards decide whether growth frees you or buries you
There are two kinds of growth. One buries you, the other frees you. The difference isn’t how much revenue you make, but whether there are standards underneath that growth.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, every decision runs through the founder, margins swing, and the same problems return every quarter. With standards, decisions are made where they belong, margins stay stable, and the agency scales calmly, even under pressure.
More revenue without standards mostly means more hours, more stress, and less margin. That’s the difference between scaling and grinding.
The four levers of an agency standard
A standard is only a standard when it’s secured on four levers. Standards define what’s non-negotiable. Structure defines how work and decisions flow. Ownership defines where accountability sits. Enforcement keeps the standard standing under pressure. Standards without structure are just good intentions; structure without ownership erodes; ownership without enforcement won’t survive a busy day. Together, the four levers make a standard that keeps working.
How to start with agency standards
You don’t start by locking everything down at once. You start with the standards that are leaking most right now, usually positioning and pricing, because that’s where margin drains away and the wrong clients come in.
Want to learn which standards are the right ones, how to enforce them and how to scale them? You can join the Community for free, including the full course on Non-Negotiable Agency Standards.
Want the standards installed in your own agency instead of figuring it out yourself? Read on at agency coaching →.
The difference between a standard and a rule
A rule tells you what to do. A standard tells you what you won’t accept, regardless of the circumstances. A rule bends the moment it’s convenient. A standard holds precisely when it gets uncomfortable.
That’s why Chris’s course is called “Non-Negotiable Agency Standards”. The word non-negotiable is the core: a standard you drop the moment a client pushes or a quarter goes badly was never a standard.
In which domains agency standards apply
Agency standards are installed across four domains, and in each one the standard defines what is and isn’t accepted. Leadership sets how decisions get made and who’s accountable, so not everything lands on the founder. Marketing is positioning that excludes the wrong client instead of attracting everyone. Sales is pricing and client selection that protect the margin, so you don’t compete on price. Delivery is how work gets delivered, so quality doesn’t depend on the founder being present.
Leadership
How decisions get made and who’s accountable, so not everything lands on the founder.
Marketing
Positioning that excludes the wrong client instead of attracting everyone.
Sales
Pricing and client selection that protect the margin, so you don’t compete on price.
Delivery
How work gets delivered, so quality doesn’t depend on the founder being present.
Chris sums this approach up as the SHARP method: the five standards that decide whether your growth frees you or buries you, installed across these four domains and secured through the four levers above. You can read the full method at agency coaching →.
In which domains agency standards apply
Agency standards are installed across four domains, and in each one the standard defines what is and isn’t accepted. Leadership sets how decisions get made and who’s accountable, so not everything lands on the founder. Marketing is positioning that excludes the wrong client instead of attracting everyone. Sales is pricing and client selection that protect the margin, so you don’t compete on price. Delivery is how work gets delivered, so quality doesn’t depend on the founder being present.
Leadership
How decisions get made and who’s accountable, so not everything lands on the founder.
Marketing
Positioning that excludes the wrong client instead of attracting everyone.
Sales
Pricing and client selection that protect the margin, so you don’t compete on price.
Delivery
How work gets delivered, so quality doesn’t depend on the founder being present.
Chris sums this approach up as the SHARP method: the five standards that decide whether your growth frees you or buries you, installed across these four domains and secured through the four levers above. You can read the full method at agency coaching →.
In which domains agency standards apply
Agency standards are installed across four domains, and in each one the standard defines what is and isn’t accepted. Leadership sets how decisions get made and who’s accountable, so not everything lands on the founder. Marketing is positioning that excludes the wrong client instead of attracting everyone. Sales is pricing and client selection that protect the margin, so you don’t compete on price. Delivery is how work gets delivered, so quality doesn’t depend on the founder being present.
Delivery
How work gets delivered, so quality doesn’t depend on the founder being present.
Sales
Pricing and client selection that protect the margin, so you don’t compete on price.
Marketing
Positioning that excludes the wrong client instead of attracting everyone.
Leadership
How decisions get made and who’s accountable, so not everything lands on the founder.
How to start with agency standards
You don’t start by locking everything down at once. You start with the standards that are leaking most right now, usually positioning and pricing, because that’s where margin drains away and the wrong clients come in.
Want to learn which standards are the right ones, how to enforce them and how to scale them? You can join the Community for free, including the full course on Non-Negotiable Agency Standards.
Want the standards installed in your own agency instead of figuring it out yourself? Read on at agency coaching →.
Ready to step out of the middle of your own agency?
Start with a no-obligation 45-minute Standards Assessment. We make clear where your agency is getting stuck, which standard is slowing your growth, and whether the Breakthrough is the right next step.
You'll walk away with a concrete picture of what's holding your growth back. That alone is worth those 45 minutes.
"From €10k to €50k per month, with a real team." Lucia van den Brink, Founder, The Initial.
Founders who made the move
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
"Chris sees through you and your business in a way you can't yet see yourself. He made it radically simple how to scale what I'm great at. The result: 3x revenue. Without him I'd be doing interim work. Now I run the business the market is screaming for. You need that outside lens. Chris gives it to you."
Malou Nellissen
Founder Vertis Ops
"I've worked with Chris for three years now. What sets him apart is the clarity he brings. He turns grey areas back into black and white. Not by oversimplifying, but by setting a clear standard you can measure yourself against. He works from a blueprint for success, so we cut straight to the core every time."
Irene Krommendijk
Managing Director Yonego
Chris is always pushing you to your limits, in a good way. After a few sessions I already started to see changes in my mindset on a personal and business level. Those changes reflect in the way we operate our agency now. If you're looking for someone to help you break through growth ceilings, Chris is it.
Dani Rijff
Founder RocketCare
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
"Chris sees through you and your business in a way you can't yet see yourself. He made it radically simple how to scale what I'm great at. The result: 3x revenue. Without him I'd be doing interim work. Now I run the business the market is screaming for. You need that outside lens. Chris gives it to you."
Malou Nellissen
Founder Vertis Ops
"I've worked with Chris for three years now. What sets him apart is the clarity he brings. He turns grey areas back into black and white. Not by oversimplifying, but by setting a clear standard you can measure yourself against. He works from a blueprint for success, so we cut straight to the core every time."
Irene Krommendijk
Managing Director Yonego
Chris is always pushing you to your limits, in a good way. After a few sessions I already started to see changes in my mindset on a personal and business level. Those changes reflect in the way we operate our agency now. If you're looking for someone to help you break through growth ceilings, Chris is it.
Dani Rijff
Founder RocketCare
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
"Chris sees through you and your business in a way you can't yet see yourself. He made it radically simple how to scale what I'm great at. The result: 3x revenue. Without him I'd be doing interim work. Now I run the business the market is screaming for. You need that outside lens. Chris gives it to you."
Malou Nellissen
Founder Vertis Ops
"I've worked with Chris for three years now. What sets him apart is the clarity he brings. He turns grey areas back into black and white. Not by oversimplifying, but by setting a clear standard you can measure yourself against. He works from a blueprint for success, so we cut straight to the core every time."
Irene Krommendijk
Managing Director Yonego
Chris is always pushing you to your limits, in a good way. After a few sessions I already started to see changes in my mindset on a personal and business level. Those changes reflect in the way we operate our agency now. If you're looking for someone to help you break through growth ceilings, Chris is it.
Dani Rijff
Founder RocketCare
Founders who made the move
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now.
Malou Nellissen
Co-founder Backlink.nl
"I've worked with Chris for three years now. What sets him apart is the clarity he brings. He turns grey areas back into black and white. Not by oversimplifying, but by setting a clear standard you can measure yourself against. He works from a blueprint for success, so we cut straight to the core every time."
Irene Krommendijk
Managing Director Yonego
Chris is always pushing you to your limits, in a good way. After a few sessions I already started to see changes in my mindset on a personal and business level. Those changes reflect in the way we operate our agency now. If you're looking for someone to help you break through growth ceilings, Chris is it.
Dani Rijff
Founder RocketCare
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now.
Malou Nellissen
Co-founder Backlink.nl
"I've worked with Chris for three years now. What sets him apart is the clarity he brings. He turns grey areas back into black and white. Not by oversimplifying, but by setting a clear standard you can measure yourself against. He works from a blueprint for success, so we cut straight to the core every time."
Irene Krommendijk
Managing Director Yonego
Chris is always pushing you to your limits, in a good way. After a few sessions I already started to see changes in my mindset on a personal and business level. Those changes reflect in the way we operate our agency now. If you're looking for someone to help you break through growth ceilings, Chris is it.
Dani Rijff
Founder RocketCare
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now.
Malou Nellissen
Co-founder Backlink.nl
"I've worked with Chris for three years now. What sets him apart is the clarity he brings. He turns grey areas back into black and white. Not by oversimplifying, but by setting a clear standard you can measure yourself against. He works from a blueprint for success, so we cut straight to the core every time."
Irene Krommendijk
Managing Director Yonego
Chris is always pushing you to your limits, in a good way. After a few sessions I already started to see changes in my mindset on a personal and business level. Those changes reflect in the way we operate our agency now. If you're looking for someone to help you break through growth ceilings, Chris is it.
Dani Rijff
Founder RocketCare
Founders who made the move
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
Founders who made the move
"Backlink has grown, we have become way more sales driven, and the standards inside the team are higher than they have ever been. Not just what we deliver to clients, but how we hold each other accountable internally. It's uncomfortable sometimes, but that's also why the results are here right now."
Thomas van Miert
Backlink.nl & Flowboost Group
“I knew I was capable of more. Stuck at €10k per month, I wanted to build a company. A team. With Chris, we looked at who I am, what truly matters, and built a new proposition. That helped me launch a coaching program and land 2 multinational clients, taking me to €50k per month and hiring real team members."
Lucia van den Brink
Founder The Initial
"Chris installed the systems that took me out of the daily delivery. The agency now runs on standards and processes instead of on me. I went from being the bottleneck to leading the business. If you want to stop being the most senior operator in your own agency and actually own it, work with Chris."
William Duijzer
Founder Wild Digital
Frequently asked questions
Agency standards are the non-negotiable agreements that define how an agency works across positioning, pricing, client selection and delivery. They keep holding when the pressure rises and make sure not every decision runs through the founder.
A rule tells you what to do and bends the moment it’s convenient. A standard tells you what you won’t accept and holds precisely when it gets uncomfortable.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, more revenue mostly brings more hours, stress and margin volatility. With standards, the agency scales calmly and profit stays predictable.
Four levers: the standard itself (what’s non-negotiable), structure (how work and decisions flow), ownership (where accountability sits) and enforcement (how the standard holds under pressure).
Chris Out, who scaled his own agency from 10 to 85 people, sold it in 2020, and has since run more than 2,000 sessions with agency founders. He’s known as the Creator of Agency Standards.
You don’t lock everything down at once. You start with the standards that leak most, usually positioning and pricing. Join the Community for free to get the full course on Non-Negotiable Agency Standards, or have the standards installed in your agency through agency coaching.
Frequently asked questions
Agency standards are the non-negotiable agreements that define how an agency works across positioning, pricing, client selection and delivery. They keep holding when the pressure rises and make sure not every decision runs through the founder.
A rule tells you what to do and bends the moment it’s convenient. A standard tells you what you won’t accept and holds precisely when it gets uncomfortable.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, more revenue mostly brings more hours, stress and margin volatility. With standards, the agency scales calmly and profit stays predictable.
Four levers: the standard itself (what’s non-negotiable), structure (how work and decisions flow), ownership (where accountability sits) and enforcement (how the standard holds under pressure).
Chris Out, who scaled his own agency from 10 to 85 people, sold it in 2020, and has since run more than 2,000 sessions with agency founders. He’s known as the Creator of Agency Standards.
You don’t lock everything down at once. You start with the standards that leak most, usually positioning and pricing. Join the Community for free to get the full course on Non-Negotiable Agency Standards, or have the standards installed in your agency through agency coaching.
Frequently asked questions
Agency standards are the non-negotiable agreements that define how an agency works across positioning, pricing, client selection and delivery. They keep holding when the pressure rises and make sure not every decision runs through the founder.
A rule tells you what to do and bends the moment it’s convenient. A standard tells you what you won’t accept and holds precisely when it gets uncomfortable.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, more revenue mostly brings more hours, stress and margin volatility. With standards, the agency scales calmly and profit stays predictable.
Four levers: the standard itself (what’s non-negotiable), structure (how work and decisions flow), ownership (where accountability sits) and enforcement (how the standard holds under pressure).
Chris Out, who scaled his own agency from 10 to 85 people, sold it in 2020, and has since run more than 2,000 sessions with agency founders. He’s known as the Creator of Agency Standards.
You don’t lock everything down at once. You start with the standards that leak most, usually positioning and pricing. Join the Community for free to get the full course on Non-Negotiable Agency Standards, or have the standards installed in your agency through agency coaching.
Frequently asked questions
Agency standards are the non-negotiable agreements that define how an agency works across positioning, pricing, client selection and delivery. They keep holding when the pressure rises and make sure not every decision runs through the founder.
A rule tells you what to do and bends the moment it’s convenient. A standard tells you what you won’t accept and holds precisely when it gets uncomfortable.
An agency grows to the level of its standards. Without them, more revenue mostly brings more hours, stress and margin volatility. With standards, the agency scales calmly and profit stays predictable.
Four levers: the standard itself (what’s non-negotiable), structure (how work and decisions flow), ownership (where accountability sits) and enforcement (how the standard holds under pressure).
Chris Out, who scaled his own agency from 10 to 85 people, sold it in 2020, and has since run more than 2,000 sessions with agency founders. He’s known as the Creator of Agency Standards.
You don’t lock everything down at once. You start with the standards that leak most, usually positioning and pricing. Join the Community for free to get the full course on Non-Negotiable Agency Standards, or have the standards installed in your agency through agency coaching.
Ready to determine what's really holding your agency back?
Start with a free 45-minute Standards Assessment. We expose the real bottleneck, not the symptom, and determine together whether this program is a fit for you.
If it's a fit, we discuss the Breakthrough as the next step: an intensive three-hour program in which your complete roadmap to €100k+ months is built live. If it's not, you'll know that too. You walk away with a concrete picture of what's holding your growth back. That alone is worth those 45 minutes.
"Result: revenue x3." Malou Nellissen, Founder, Vertis Ops.