197: How We Grew 50% Without Hiring a Single Person - Pat Dillon - 8FE

What happens when you've built multiple companies, lost control, got burned by partners, and then finally get it right? Patrick Dillon has done it all. He’s built several digital agencies, and even a janitorial company. He’s taken on investors, lost equity, made painful pivots, and come out the other side with a lean, wildly profitable agency. Today, his company, WISE Digital, is scaling steadily without the risk of it all collapsing from one bad client, partner, or decision. In this episode, we break down how Pat used AI to scale without bloat, what really went wrong with his first three ventures, and why he’ll never niche down again. We also get into the recruiting system that saved him thousands of hours, the legal dispute ChatGPT helped him settle, and how to avoid toxic positivity while building something that actually lasts. If you’re in agency life, you’ll feel this one. Listen in and find out what it really takes to build a growth engine you actually want to run.  — This episode is part of the 8FE (8-figure entrepreneur) series, where we talk to entrepreneurs who have already passed the million-dollar mark.  — Key Takeaways: 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:53 Undervalued marketing tactics  00:04:24 Unusual AI use cases  00:08:03 Patrick’s entrepreneurial journey  00:18:38 Interacting with investors  00:21:29 When to pull the plug  00:27:57 Transition to WISE Digital  00:37:43 Focusing on SMB  00:40:02 Growing the business through AI  00:51:57 SEO strategies and the impact of AI  00:58:58 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs  01:01:21 Outro — Additional Resources: 🔹 Website: https://www.wisedigitalpartners.com/   🔹 Meet with Pat: https://meetwithpat.com/  🔹 Patrick on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickjamesdillon/?hl=en — ➡️ Learn more at: https://beyondamillion.com/ ➡️ Watch full episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5hbIUyUb68J3nhHSAGDrmUxX4vgXQ4b8 ➡️ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Beyondamillion?sub_confirmation=1 — Let's Connect: 🔹 IG: https://www.instagram.com/bradweimert 🔹 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondamil 🔹Twitter: https://twitter.com/BradWeimert 🔹 FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089061999787 --  Beyond A Million is a business podcast that reveals the scaling secrets of 8, 9, and 10-figure entrepreneurs. Every week, we share an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the best business growth strategies that work.  If you're an entrepreneur or business professional who's looking to level up & continue to scale far beyond the million-dollar mark, this podcast is for YOU! Tune in weekly for new interviews with Easy Pay Direct founder Brad Weimert and business expert guests who absolutely crush it in their area of expertise. Learn world-class marketing and sales tactics with elite-level business strategies in sales, marketing, operations, finance, and wealth building. Be sure to give us a follow wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a new episode!