Most agencies hit a point where the numbers start holding them back. Margins feel tight, cash feels unpredictable and the CEO is stuck in the weeds doing finance work they never wanted.
To scale profitably, you need the right financial foundations, forward-looking planning, team alignment and revenue strategy. Most agencies don’t have this in place, which is why they plateau at the £1m revenue mark, struggle with margins and stuck in founder-led chaos.
That’s why we have created The Rocksteady Way. Our 4-pillar framework, created especially for marketing agencies, that takes finance from a distraction to a growth driver. It’s how ambitious agencies break through plateaus, protect profit and scale with confidence.
Confidence starts with clarity.
Too many agencies still have the founder chasing invoices, signing off supplier payments or checking if the payroll went through. At this stage, finance is a burden, not a driver of growth.
We fix that by running your finance engine end-to-end: invoicing, credit control, bookkeeping, reconciliations, payroll, VAT. Then we deliver clean, timely monthly reporting, including budget variances and commentary you can actually use.
The result? You stop firefighting, have a steady cash flow and you finally have a set of numbers you can trust. The finance function helps to create resilience, confidence and be the trigger for growth, enabling you, as the CEO, to get back to leading the agency
Don’t just track profit – plan for it.
Most agencies are flying blind. Hiring decisions are made on a gut feel, projects are overserviced, and you only find out if profits have slipped when it’s too late. Growth feels risky, not rewarding.
We change that by offering Virtual Finance Director support for agencies. We build rolling forecasts, cash flow plans and “what if” models so you can see the impact of your decisions before you make them. We track results against budget, forecast, refine the accuracy and give you early warnings before cash gets tight.
The outcome: financial discipline and confidence. You’ll know when to hire, when to invest and when to increase margins. Profit stops being an afterthought – it’s built into your plan.
Grow your team with structure, not guesswork.
We see it all the time: bloated headcount, poor recovery, and no clarity on where the hours really go. Without financial accountability, agencies grow their team faster than profit and the CEO ends up carrying the stress.
We help you to structure your agency for scale. That means utilisation tracking, recovery analysis and clear data on how time is spent with your biggest clients. We can help you map out your team, align payroll costs with revenue, cascade objectives and accountability, so everyone knows how they impact profit.
The result? A stronger team culture, higher margins and founders that are free to focus on growth, not micromanaging utilisation.
Revenue is vanity unless it’s profitable and predictable.
Too many agencies chase top-line growth with little focus on their profit margins. Pipelines are lumpy, retainers are underpriced and too much revenue hangs on one or two big clients. It’s a risky game.
We bring rigour to your growth strategy. That means tying your pipeline into the forecast, reviewing profitability by client and designing scalable revenue models like retainers and packaged services. We’ll show you which clients add value, which drain it and how to grow lifetime value without overservicing.
The outcome: predictable, profitable revenue. Growth you can actually trust.
Confidence starts with clarity.
Too many agencies still have the founder chasing invoices, signing off supplier payments or checking if the payroll went through. At this stage, finance is a burden, not a driver of growth.
We fix that by running your finance engine end-to-end: invoicing, credit control, bookkeeping, reconciliations, payroll, VAT. Then we deliver clean, timely monthly reporting, including budget variances and commentary you can actually use.
The result? You stop firefighting, have a steady cash flow and you finally have a set of numbers you can trust. The finance function helps to create resilience, confidence and be the trigger for growth, enabling you, as the CEO, to get back to leading the agency
Don’t just track profit – plan for it.
Most agencies are flying blind. Hiring decisions are made on a gut feel, projects are overserviced, and you only find out if profits have slipped when it’s too late. Growth feels risky, not rewarding.
We change that by offering Virtual Finance Director support for agencies. We build rolling forecasts, cash flow plans and “what if” models so you can see the impact of your decisions before you make them. We track results against budget, forecast, refine the accuracy and give you early warnings before cash gets tight.
The outcome: financial discipline and confidence. You’ll know when to hire, when to invest and when to increase margins. Profit stops being an afterthought – it’s built into your plan.
Grow your team with structure, not guesswork.
We see it all the time: bloated headcount, poor recovery, and no clarity on where the hours really go. Without financial accountability, agencies grow their team faster than profit and the CEO ends up carrying the stress.
We help you to structure your agency for scale. That means utilisation tracking, recovery analysis and clear data on how time is spent with your biggest clients. We can help you map out your team, align payroll costs with revenue, cascade objectives and accountability, so everyone knows how they impact profit.
The result? A stronger team culture, higher margins and founders that are free to focus on growth, not micromanaging utilisation.
Revenue is vanity unless it’s profitable and predictable.
Too many agencies chase top-line growth with little focus on their profit margins. Pipelines are lumpy, retainers are underpriced and too much revenue hangs on one or two big clients. It’s a risky game.
We bring rigour to your growth strategy. That means tying your pipeline into the forecast, reviewing profitability by client and designing scalable revenue models like retainers and packaged services. We’ll show you which clients add value, which drain it and how to grow lifetime value without overservicing.
The outcome: predictable, profitable revenue. Growth you can actually trust.
Most finance providers give you either:
With Rocksteady, you get both in one integrated system, the Outsourced Finance Department + Virtual FD – powered by The Rocksteady Way.
This is how ambitious agencies break through the £1m barrier, protect margins and build businesses that are sustainable, profitable and sellable.
We use tech to deliver the best service to your business. A typical modern and efficient agency finance system could look like this:
Rocksteady’s Agency Confidential, is an invitation into the world of finance.
Each edition opens up conversations about what really drives profit, stability, and value of your business. From pricing and cash flow to the hard choices behind scaling, we share the insights that spark better decisions and more confident leadership.
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About Rocksteady
Rocksteady delivers flexible outsourced finance for ambitious agencies. We are specialised, strategic and straight-talking providing clarity and direction through the financial ups and downs.
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Developed by Gecho Agency
Rocksteady’s Agency Confidential, is an invitation into the world of finance.
Each edition opens up conversations about what really drives profit, stability, and value of your business. From pricing and cash flow to the hard choices behind scaling, we share the insights that spark better decisions and more confident leadership.
