Скачать или смотреть The Profit Margin Trap: Why scaling to $1M in revenue can actually make you less money

How do you scale your web design agency to USD 1M in revenue… and end up taking home less money?

In this video, we dig into the hidden Profit Margin Trap that quietly hits agencies as they grow. If you’ve ever thought, “Once we hit 500k, 700k, or 1M, everything will finally feel easier,” this is a must‑watch.

You’ll see why more revenue does not automatically mean more profit, and how a “successful” seven‑figure agency can leave you more stressed, more overworked, and barely better off financially than when you were much smaller.

In this video, you’ll learn:

What the Profit Margin Trap is
How agencies can 3–5x their revenue while their profit margin gets cut in half (or worse).

Why web design agencies are especially vulnerable
Project-based, lumpy revenue vs. fixed monthly costs
Endless scope creep on web projects that silently eats your margin
The owner getting pulled out of high-value work (sales, strategy, relationships) and buried in management
Discounting and taking bad-fit clients just to “keep the team busy”

The illusion of 1M revenue
We walk through simple numbers showing how you can go from:
USD 200k revenue / ~40% margin
to USD 600k revenue / ~20% margin
to USD 1M revenue / ~10% margin
…and why your bank account doesn’t care that you’re now a “7‑figure agency.”

The Healthy Scaling Mindset
Why your goal should be profit and lifestyle first, revenue second—and how to think like a margin‑focused owner instead of a revenue‑obsessed one.

The “Profit Safety Check” for your agency
A quick, practical framework you can run on your own numbers:
1. How to calculate your true profit margin over the last 12 months
2. How to model your next hire before you make it (so you don’t hire yourself into a corner)
3. How to set clear guardrails so you don’t drift into low‑margin, high‑stress territory without noticing

Who this is for

This video is for web design agency owners*who:

Are in the 100k–1M revenue range
Feel like they’re working harder for less
Are thinking about hiring, scaling, or “building a real team”
Don’t just want a big agency on paper—they want a business they actually enjoy running

If you care less about bragging rights and more about keeping what you earn and designing a business that fits your life, this is for you.

What to do next

If you want more content that helps you design and grow a web design agency you love—not just a bigger, messier one:

Subscribe to The Agency Upgrade
Like this video if it gave you a new way to think about growth
Comment below with:
Where your agency is roughly at in revenue right now, and
What profit margin you’re aiming for over the next 12 months

I read every comment, and they help shape future videos so they’re directly useful to where you are.