What Makes a Marketing Agency Worth Trusting?

A Candid Conversation with Jordan West

I’ve been wanting to have this conversation for a long time.

Jordan West is someone I’ve known of for years - and recently reconnected with through LinkedIn. He’s worn many hats but is currently the CEO of Social Commerce Club, the founder of UpGrowth Commerce, host of the Secrets to Scaling podcast, and someone who has built brands from scratch, scaled them with heart, and never shied away from honest conversations about what’s working - and what’s absolutely not - in marketing today.

This episode? It’s raw. It’s real. And it’s packed with the kind of truth that doesn’t always make it into marketing conversations.

🎯 Here’s what we get into:

• Why so many agencies suck - and what trust really looks like in this space

• The moment Jordan realized how broken most client-agency relationships are

• What internal teams really need to hear right now (especially if they’re overwhelmed or burned out)

• How we’ve both failed forward - and what those moments taught us

• What to look for if you’re trying to find an agency that won’t ghost, overpromise, or leave you stranded

We don’t hold back. We talk candidly about lessons learned, what we’d do differently, and how small businesses and internal teams can protect themselves from empty promises and recycled strategies.

Jordan’s story - from buying a Taco Del Mar franchise at 22 to building one of the top 10 baby brands in Canada with his wife - is just one part of what makes him such a valuable voice. He gets it. He’s been on both sides. And his insights are gold for anyone trying to figure out who to trust with their brand.

📍This one’s for the marketers who’ve been burned, the business owners who’ve felt ghosted, and the creatives who just want to do meaningful work without all the BS.

🎧 Hit play now. You’ll walk away with real talk, not just tactics.

💥 If this episode gave you something to think about, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

💌 Want to be a guest? Have a future episode idea? Or want me on your podcast? I’d love to hear from you.

Email me at borck@theog.co.

🔗 You can find Jordan on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-west-marketer/

And connect with me, Matt Borck, right here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattborck/

🎙️ The Marketing Mirror Podcast is proudly presented by the brilliant team at One Group Agency. If you’re serious about marketing that actually connects - check us out at TheOG.co