👑 The 99% rule for transforming your agency

One of the biggest mindset level-ups I’ve ever had was from understanding this simple truth:

99% of the mistakes in your business are your fault.

Last week, a situation in my personal life brought this lesson back to the forefront of my mind.

Here’s what happened, and how it relates to running a successful business.

The Backstory

Since my son was born, I’ve had less time and needed more help, so we hired a housekeeping team.

They do a lot, but their cleaning has been especially helpful (bless them!).

Before they arrive, I send a list of items my wife and I need help with around the house.

But after a few days, I noticed the team was taking the list extremely literally, which caused an issue.

See, my mother-in-law was just in town.

Normally, we air dry the baby clothes in the guest room, but this week, I ran the laundry pretty late, and she was already asleep when I went to air dry the clothes.

Improvising, I started to air-dry the clothes in the guest bathroom, which is where we also give my son his evening baths.

So, all in one place, we had my son’s damp dirty washcloths from his bath, and his damp clothes air-drying.

Not thinking anything of it, I moved on and my cleaning team arrived the next morning.

To my surprise, they combined my son’s damp clothing with his dirty damp washcloths.

My initial thought was, “Did they actually just do this?”

But after taking a moment, I realized it was my fault.

I didn’t give them any heads-up of what had changed, and they were just doing what the list said.

I messaged them:

“Hey! Thanks for the work today, my wife and I really appreciate it.

Just a heads up, the damp baby clothes in the bathroom were actually clean & they were put into my son’s dirty hamper.

Not a big deal, this was totally my fault for not telling you.

Moving forward, if you see something that is different in the home than normal, before cleaning it or combining it with something that’s potentially dirty, can you text me to confirm?

Thanks again for your hard work.”

How This Applies To Running A Business

Most mistakes in your business can be avoided.

At Amazon, we were trained on the management principle “assume positive intent.”

It’s our job as leaders to first take ownership of mistakes and let go of our ego.

When we do this, we can pause and ask:

“Is this a process issue or a people issue?”

We should always “attack the process” (what we said at Amazon) first, not the people. 

Often, all it takes are a few simple frame adjustments like that to end up with a clearer, strong work culture that can help you and your business level up.

Are Truly Taking Ownership for Your Agency’s Future?

“99% of mistakes are the leader's fault.”

Harsh? Maybe.

True? Absolutely.

But here's the thing: This isn't about blame. It's about power.

When you own 99% of the mistakes, you also own 99% of the solutions.

At 8 Figure Agency, we've seen this mindset transform struggling agencies into powerhouses.

Here's what it looks like in action:

• Mistakes become roadmaps for improvement, not finger-pointing sessions

• Communication flows freely, without fear of repercussion

• Processes evolve constantly, fueled by front-line insights

• Teams unite around a culture of growth, not blame

Does an agency culture like that sound like a dream to you?

It shouldn’t… It's something we’ve helped our clients achieve every day.

But fair warning: This shift isn't easy. It requires ego-checking, deep reflection, and a willingness to change.

If you're ready for that challenge…

If you're tired of the same old problems…

If you want to lead an agency that truly stands out, delivers outstanding results, and is rewarded with record-breaking revenue…

Let's talk.

👉 Schedule a quick 30-minute call with our team here… 👈

And we’ll work together to transform your leadership and unlock your agency's full potential.