In this powerful and brutally honest episode of Seller Sessions, Danny McMillan sits down with Dorian Gorski, a seasoned agency founder, to pull the curtain back on the gritty reality of running an Amazon agency in today's commoditized, AI-driven landscape. 🔥 Key Topics & Insights The Brutal Shift in the Agency Landscape Danny doesn't sugarcoat it: "I'd rather die than jump on Clown World on LinkedIn selling magical strategies." He opens up about laying off half his agency team, not as a failure, but as a strategic pivot. "I helped get them placed in jobs – and we are working on new tech to compliment PPC and ranking " With the rise of AI and automation, old models are collapsing. Agencies that once thrived on manual work now face clients expecting more, for less. AI Is Not the Threat — Poor Strategy Is Dorian emphasizes that AI isn't the enemy — misuse is: "If you use AI to make life better for you and your clients, you're going to win." He notes his own agency now charges 30-40% less than four years ago, but delivers more, faster, and better. From Creative to Conversion Agency Dorian drops a game-changing perspective: "We're no longer a creative agency — we're a conversion agency." It's not about fancy visuals anymore. The north star is results — better conversion rates and click-throughs. Every designer and copywriter on his team is in touch with the client, driven by data, not output. ⚖️ Honest Talk on Business Models Free Trials? A Trap. Danny warns about the lure of performance-only models: "The front end looks attractive, but on the back end, it's Hunger Games." These models cherry-pick winners, leaving a trail of burnt-out sellers with wasted time and broken campaigns. Why Reputation Matters "One client can take you on a journey you can't imagine," says Dorian, encouraging agencies to focus on fewer, better-fit clients. He scaled down from 30 clients to just 5–6, with a leaner team and bigger impact. 💬 Insightful Quotes Danny: "Margins are being squeezed. It's a bloodbath out there." Dorian: "As long as you deliver results at a good ROI, you've got nothing to worry about." Danny: "Anyone can get you to the top of the page. But if your product doesn't convert, it's worthless." 🔚 Final Thoughts This is not a fluff piece. It's a deep dive into the realities of running an Amazon agency in 2025 — where ethics, efficiency, and execution are the only things that matter. Whether you're a seller looking for an agency, or an agency leader yourself, this episode is a must-listen blueprint for surviving the AI and automation storm.