Feb 4, 2026
On this episode of The Innovative Agency Podcast Sharon Toerek is joined by Marcel Petitpas, CEO and co-founder of Parakeeto. Their conversation focuses on one of the most persistent and misunderstood challenges facing agency leaders today: profitability.
Often when margins feel tight, we blame pricing, overhead, or “the market.” But even agencies with growing revenue can struggle to take home real profit. Marcel helps us look beneath the surface to uncover what’s actually driving (or draining) your margins.
From breaking the habit of measuring success by
revenue alone to identifying the operational decisions that quietly
erode profit, this discussion is packed with practical guidance. If
your agency’s financial results don’t reflect the effort you’re
putting in, this episode will help you understand
why.
What you will learn in this episode:
Why most agency profitability struggles aren’t about pricing alone
How to break free from the starving/indigestion cycle
The critical “framework first” approach to profitability
Common misconceptions about overhead, utilization, and pricing that lead agencies down the wrong path
The surprising impact of utilization and delivery margin on your bottom line
Tested strategies for recalibrating your client relationships, project scoping, and team structure
What AI and advanced data practices mean for small and mid-sized agencies trying to future-proof their financials
Bio
Marcel Petitpas is the CEO & Co-Founder of Parakeeto, a company dedicated to helping agencies measure and improve their profitability by streamlining their operations and reporting systems, a problem he discovered while running his own agency back in his early 20’s.
He’s also the fractional COO at Gold Front, an award-winning creative agency in San Francisco working with brands like Uber, Slack, Keap, and more. As well as the head strategic coach at SaaS Academy by Dan Martell, the #1 coaching program for B2B SaaS businesses in the world.
In his work as a speaker, podcast host, and
consultant, specializing in Agency Profitability Optimization, he's
helped hundreds of agencies around the world improve profitability
and cash flow in their business.
Resources: