11/05/2026
I remember meeting Shelby back in 2024 at a Meta Ads Masterclass, and having one of those ‘ah huh’ moments. I looked at her and thought, quietly to myself, there she is… the person I could become if I stay brave enough for long enough.
She had started her business around the same age I had, and somehow built it into one of the most respected agencies in the country. But it wasn’t just the success that struck me. It was the clarity. The certainty. The way she carried both ambition and warmth in the same hand.
After the masterclass ended, I stood there arguing with myself for at least five minutes about whether or not I should go up and speak to her. But eventually I gathered up the courage and walked over and asked if she’d ever consider mentoring me.
She could have politely declined. She could have said she was too busy. Instead, without hesitation, I got an “absolutely,” and somehow that tiny moment changed the trajectory of my life a little bit.
Since then, I’ve gained far more than a mentor. I’ve gained a lifelong friend.
Last year, I attended the Agency Marketing Retreat in Fiji with the team, which gave me a beautiful glimpse into the creative heartbeat behind Chain. But if I’m honest, the part of business I’ve quietly struggled with most has never been creativity. It’s been structure. Operations. Building something sustainable without pouring every last piece of myself into it.
And that’s exactly where The Agency Accelerator found me.
For the first time in a very long time, I feel clear. Clear on the systems I need to build. Clear on the path forward. Clear on how to stop overdelivering simply because I care too much - a habit many empathetic business owners know intimately.
There’s something deeply comforting about being taught by people who have already walked through the fire you’re currently standing in.
Shelbs, thank you. Truly. For your wisdom, your generosity, your honesty, and for pouring so much into me and the eleven other agency owners in that room.