You've been thinking about going solo for a while now. Maybe you're tired of building someone else's dream. Maybe you just landed your first client and realized you have no idea how to price the project. Or maybe you're already freelancing but can't figure out how to scale past "just you."

Here's the problem: Most agency books are written by people who've never actually run one. They're full of theory, frameworks, and motivational fluff—but light on the real stuff. The messy, practical, day-to-day decisions that make or break a services business.

This book is different.

I was employee #2 at Metalab, an agency that grew from a tiny startup to hundreds of employees working with Apple, Walmart, and Google. I've spent two decades in the trenches, and fixing the problems that all agencies face.

Now I run Tamaribuchi, where I help small agency owners every single day. I know exactly where you're stuck. And I wrote this book to get you unstuck, fast.

Inside, you'll learn:

• How to price your work so you don't undercharge (Chapter 5: Charging for your work)
• How to find your first clients without a huge network or following (Chapter 3: Getting your name out there)
• How to sell without feeling gross about it (Chapter 4: Selling your services)
• Whether to hire junior or senior first (Chapter 7: Your first hires)
• How to fire someone without destroying your soul (Chapter 9: Running your team)
• How to grow sustainably through the 3 eras every agency experiences (Chapter 10: Expanding your business)

Plus: Setting your vision, standing out in a crowded market, onboarding clients, running your team, and avoiding the mistakes that kill most agencies in year one.

This isn't a 300-page textbook. It's 10 short, actionable chapters you can read in 90 minutes and start applying immediately.

No fluff. No corporate jargon. No pretending to be bigger than you are.

Just the straight truth about building an agency that works for your life—not the other way around.