All too relatable. The real kicker is that WebAgency probably _did_ enter this with the best of intentions. Individual contributors care a lot, and the CEO cares a lot, but they aren’t the ones planning and resourcing everything. Agencies are good when a big company needs someone to do their thinking for them through a long-term relationship. Even then, there’s no crystal ball as to whether a relationship is a good idea, will be successful, or if the work will be any good. For individuals, it’s hard to ever recommend an agency, like with anything I think it’s better to play a bigger role in the day-to-day and drive it yourself.

I don’t think Isaac was doing anything malicious or trying to rip you off, but even without intent, the result is the same. One thing I’ve learned about Agencies is that they typically rationalize failures away from themselves. They typically see themselves practicing a set of processes and sell others on the idea that the process is perfected. This is what leads people to these hair-brained “well if you’d sign a retainer, then things would go smoother!”