markets— simply don’ t have the resources to compete using traditional hiring strategies. But by embracing a remote workforce strategy and investing in the right people, systems, and processes, smaller agencies can punch above their weight.
Want to build a resilient agency? Start by expanding your hiring pool beyond your zip code. Look for people who align with your values— and give them the flexibility and infrastructure to thrive.
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP: BUILDING AROUND COMPLEMENTARY STRENGTHS
A big takeaway from the Heritage agency story is the value of partnership and aligned leadership. Three producers— Jeremy Huerta, Michael Overstreet, and Caleb Walker— came together from different corners of the country to form a unified agency. Their decision to merge agencies and go remote was born from friendship, mutual respect, and the understanding that complementary strengths would lead to collective success.
One of their first realizations? Ego had no place in the operation.
They weren’ t focused on who got credit. They were focused on winning. And the success of their remote model came down to one simple belief: shared values lead to shared vision.
If you’ re looking to grow through partnership or expansion, don’ t just ask,“ Can we scale together?” Ask,“ Do we believe in the same things— and are we willing to build everything on that foundation?”
CORE VALUES: THE FOUNDATION OF A SCALABLE REMOTE TEAM
You can’ t build a strong culture without strong core values— especially when your team is spread across multiple time zones and states. Core values act as your agency’ s operating system. They inform hiring, performance evaluations, vendor selection, coaching conversations, and even which technologies you implement.
The Heritage team learned quickly that without clearly defined core values, there was chaos. Once they nailed their values, everything else fell into place. Their tip? Keep it simple and actionable.
Forget the corporate jargon and abstract ideals. Choose a few strong words or phrases that matter deeply to your leadership team. Then, live those out loud – every day.
One of their core values is“ Compete”— a value that speaks volumes without needing explanation. When someone clocks in, they know exactly what’ s expected. They’ re showing up to win.
EMBEDDING CORE VALUES INTO DAILY OPERATIONS
Having a list of core values isn’ t enough. You’ ve got to operationalize them.
That means:
• Integrating them into weekly meetings
• Using them as a framework for performance feedback
• Celebrating when someone embodies a value
• Checking every major decision against your core values
At Heritage, every month is dedicated to a specific value. They use TED Talks, real-life stories, and team discussions to bring each one to life. It’ s not fluff— it’ s constant reinforcement.
Want to keep your values top of mind? Start with weekly value spotlights. Highlight someone on your team who embodied a value and share why. This isn’ t just management recognizing team members— peerto-peer recognition is even more powerful.
JULY / AUGUST 2025
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