Morgan Witham on Agency Work Podcast: Lessons from the Agency Work Podcast
The following blog post is a recap from Morgan Witham, Dionne Kumpe, and Parker Plaisted’s conversation on the Agency Work podcast.
After three seasons of thoughtful conversations, insightful episodes, and meaningful moments, the Agency Work Podcast has concluded with a final episode that opens the curtain on its production process. Hosted by Parker Plaistead, this behind-the-scenes discussion invites Dionne Kumpe, Senior Account Manager at Elevation, and Morgan Witham, COO at COLAB, to reflect on their experiences as guests and collaborators. Together, they explore the art of creating engaging content, their preparation for episodes, and the lessons learned.
Collaboration in Focus
At its heart, the Agency Work Podcast champions the spirit of collaboration. Parker’s decision to feature Dionne and Morgan—a duo with distinct professional perspectives—showcases the value of bringing together voices from different corners of the agency world. Dionne, with her extensive experience in advertising strategy, and Morgan, with her deep knowledge of operational efficiency, provided layered insights on their episodes.
Morgan reflected on entering an unfamiliar space, wondering how her operational focus would resonate alongside the creativity of other guests. Preparation and collaboration with Parker helped her hone in on relatable themes, creating an authentic and impactful narrative. Dionne, too, highlighted how outlining and having open pre-episode dialogues created clarity, helping her sift through years of experience to craft key takeaways for listeners.
Their stories underline the power of preparation balanced with improvisation—trusting both the process and the moment. This methodology helped mold coherent, engaging podcast episodes while maintaining a sense of spontaneity.
The Podcast Production Process
Every engaging podcast hides hours of preparation behind its seamless conversations. For Parker, guiding his guests through the production process was integral to their comfort and the success of the episode. From identifying topics of passion to sharing structured outlines, he encouraged guests to bring their expertise forward in ways that felt natural and energizing.
Dionne and Morgan both credited the structured preparation process for helping them refine their messages. The outlines, though simple one-pagers, served as flexible blueprints. The guests appreciated how Parker allowed discussions to feel authentic—altering the order of talking points when conversations organically veered into new territory.
Beyond outlines, Parker employed tactics like off-air side conversations and practice questions during recordings to ease the pressure. These thoughtful touches created a relaxed studio atmosphere and enabled guests to deliver their best narratives.
Reflections on Hosting and Growth
For Parker, running a podcast was as much a personal endeavor as a professional one. Initially an engineer, he admitted that creativity wasn’t something he’d traditionally associated with himself. Yet, Agency Work became his artistic medium—a chance to fuse strategy, storytelling, and technology into something tangible and meaningful.
This self-reflective process also taught Parker valuable lessons about listening. Over time, he developed a more intentional hosting style, focusing less on interjections and more on providing his guests with space. By season three, he embraced his role as a facilitator, allowing the guests’ voices to shine fully—an evolution that’s evident in the series’ most successful episodes.
The End of a Chapter
The final episode also marked the conclusion of the Agency Work Podcast series. With gratitude and a hint of nostalgia, Parker announced the end of what had been a project fueled by curiosity and collaboration. He took a moment to appreciate the many elements that came together to make the podcast a success:
- Red Amp Audio: the professional recording studio that provided a welcoming and high-quality production environment.
- Bruce Smith: for contributing the music that became the podcast’s signature intro.
- Joe Wolf Photography: for capturing the visuals that complemented the series.
- The guests, without whom the podcast’s rich dialogues wouldn’t have been possible.
- Friends and collaborators like Jason St. Peter and Jay Smack, who supported Parker in bringing the series to life.
A Final Bow
The Agency Work Podcast may have come to a close, but its insights into collaboration, strategy, and creativity linger on. With three seasons of episodes exploring the agency world, Parker left his audience with a curated collection of voices and perspectives to inspire whether you’re a student, a creative, or a seasoned professional.
To explore the series in full, visit agency-work.com, where the episodes and lessons live on as a testament to the power of shared knowledge and collaboration.
And with that, a heartfelt look back becomes a warm goodbye.