Workamajig Newsletter September 2026

The Agency Upgrade is a monthly newsletter
focused on upgrading the '4 Ps' of agency life

PROCESS

PEOPLE

PROJECTS

PROFITS

September ’26

Why Busy Does Not Always Mean Profitable

By Esther Cohen, Director of Marketing

August's agency earnings offered an important reminder: revenue tells only part of the story.

Several of the world's largest agency groups reported very different financial results this month, but one theme stood out. The agencies improving profitability weren't necessarily the busiest. They had better visibility into how work was being managed.

The same principle applies to agencies of every size. Winning new clients doesn't automatically increase profitability, and a fully utilized team can still lose margin through underpriced work, expanding scope, or time that never gets estimated or billed.

The question isn't simply, "How much work do we have?" It's, "Which work is actually creating value?"

Answering that requires visibility across projects, people, budgets, and performance. When those pieces are connected, agencies can identify issues earlier, make better decisions, and protect both profitability and client relationships.

That's the common thread running through this month's newsletter. From media buying and reporting to product updates and training, each resource is designed to help agencies build stronger operations, not simply busier ones.

Thank you for being part of the Workamajig community. We’re grateful to help agencies build the clarity and operational confidence needed to grow stronger, not simply busier.

Wishing you continued success,

Esther C.

AI MCP Update

We're continuing to expand the capabilities of the Workamajig AI MCP to help you get the information you need faster.

This month, we've added support for client and project P&L reports, campaigns, and assignment details, giving you even more ways to quickly retrieve key agency data through the AI MCP.

To see everything currently supported and learn how to get started, check out the AI MCP Setup Guide (Beta).

We'll keep building out this toolset based on what's most helpful to you, and as always, we'd love your feedback.

Personalize Your Workspace:

Custom System Colors is now live! One of our favorite Next Era updates gives you the freedom to make Workamajig feel more like your workspace. Whether you've matched your company's branding, created a cleaner interface that's easier on the eyes, or chosen colors that help you stay focused and organized throughout the day, your workspace can now reflect the way you work best.

We're curious to see how you've made it your own! Share a screenshot of your personalized workspace in our WUG community and tell us why you chose your color palette. Did you go with your brand colors? A calming theme? A high-contrast setup that helps you stay productive? Your ideas might inspire another Workamajig user!

Here's what to do:

Not a member yet? Join the Next Era UI & AI community here.
Already a member? Create a new post in the Feedback & Discussion space, upload your screenshot, and tell us a little about your color choices and how they help you.

🎨 Share Your Workspace

To get the creativity flowing, we've included a few of our team's favorite workspace color combinations below. We can't wait to see yours!

Last Call!

Advanced Project Management Bootcamp

If attending our November Bootcamp has been on your to-do list, this is your reminder to grab one of the remaining spots.

Registration is almost full, and we're down to the last few seats.

November 9–10 | Phoenix, AZ

Last Chance to Register

WUGs

Workamajig User Groups:

Workamajig User Groups are a great way to connect with other agencies, exchange ideas, and see how your peers are getting the most out of Workamajig.

Media User Group | Wednesday, September 9 | 12:30 PM
The session gives media professionals using Workamajig a place to connect, share knowledge, discuss challenges, and exchange practical best practices with fellow users. These conversations can help teams standardize workflows, surface issues earlier, and improve the consistency of client delivery. All media-related questions and topics are welcome.
Vince's Think Tank | Wednesday, September 23 | 2:00 PM

Monthly Financial & Management Reporting:

As we head into the final months of the year, now is the perfect time to take a closer look at the reports that tell the real story of your agency. One of the most common questions Vince hears is, "Which reports should we actually be reviewing each month?"
In this Thinktank, Vince will share his hand-picked Top 10 financial and management reports, explain why they matter, and discuss how agencies use them to better understand performance, spot trends, and make smarter business decisions throughout the year—not just at year-end.
Whether you're in finance, accounting, agency leadership, or simply want to better understand your agency's performance, you'll leave with practical reporting insights you can put to work right away.

Looking to join a User Group?
Browse our current WUGs and comment JOIN NOW on any group you'd like to be added to. If you're new to WUGs, you'll be prompted to create a simple login before accessing the groups and registering for sessions.

Stop Waiting Until Month-End to See How Your Broadcast Buys Performed

If your agency buys broadcast media, waiting for vendor invoices often means waiting too long. By the time month-end arrives, opportunities to correct placement issues, improve performance, or answer client questions may already be gone.

Join guest expert Brian McVickar to learn how agencies use post logs to gain visibility into campaign performance while there's still time to act. He'll walk through practical workflows for pre-invoice reconciliation, early issue detection, and stronger client reporting using rated market data.

With 25 years of experience in media technology, including his work with the Strata platform and third-party integrations—Brian brings practical, real-world experience that agencies can put to use immediately.

📖 Want a preview? Brian recently wrote a guest article for the Workamajig Media User Community on this topic. It's a great introduction before attending the webinar.

🎙️ Wednesday, September 16 | 2:00 PM ET

🎙️ Worth a Listen

Audit Before You Add: Turn Operational Findings Into a Roadmap
Before adding another tool, make sure you've identified the real problem.

In this month's podcast recommendation, Kelsie Dube (Director of Marketing Operations & Automation at Unanet) explains how operational audits uncover hidden process issues, eliminate duplicate technology, and help organizations prioritize improvements. It's a great complement to this month's theme of improving operational visibility before making major decisions. Listen here:
How to Run a Marketing Ops Audit and Turn It Into a Roadmap.

Grow Stronger, Not Simply Busier

From seeing media performance earlier to improving project visibility, auditing operations, and strengthening team expertise, this month’s resources are designed to help your agency protect margin, make better decisions, and grow stronger, not simply busier.

Have an idea for the next newsletter? Contact me at estherc@workamajig.com.

The Agency Upgrade is a monthly newsletter
focused on upgrading the '4 Ps' of agency life

PROCESS

PEOPLE

PROJECTS

PROFITS

Why Busy Does Not Always Mean Profitable

AI MCP Update

Personalize Your Workspace:

Last Call!

Advanced Project Management Bootcamp

Workamajig User Groups:

Stop Waiting Until Month-End to See How Your Broadcast Buys Performed

🎙️ Worth a Listen

Grow Stronger, Not Simply Busier

Regular updates on the 4 Ps of agency life:
people, projects, profits, & process.

Workamajig news & updates.

Expert advice & agency stories.

Actionable tips, free templates, and more!

Transform the way your agency operates

We’ve been helping advertising agencies
level up for 20+ years. We’re ready for the future.
Let’s get started.

The Agency Upgrade is a monthly newsletter focused on upgrading the '4 Ps' of agency life

PROCESS

PEOPLE

PROJECTS

PROFITS

September ’26

Why Busy Does Not Always Mean Profitable

AI MCP Update

Personalize Your Workspace:

Last Call!

Advanced Project Management Bootcamp

Workamajig User Groups:

Stop Waiting Until Month-End to See How Your Broadcast Buys Performed

🎙️ Worth a Listen

Grow Stronger, Not Simply Busier

Join 20,000+ subscribers

Regular updates on the 4 Ps of agency life:people, projects, profits, & process.

Workamajig news & updates.

Expert advice & agency stories.

Actionable tips, free templates, and more!

Transform the way your agency operates

We’ve been helping advertising agencies level up for 20+ years. We’re ready for the future.Let’s get started.

The Agency Upgrade is a monthly newsletter
focused on upgrading the '4 Ps' of agency life

Regular updates on the 4 Ps of agency life:
people, projects, profits, & process.

We’ve been helping advertising agencies
level up for 20+ years. We’re ready for the future.
Let’s get started.