Episode 1 – Yet Another Agency Podcast with Asim Bawany & Darin Lynch of Irish Titan

Values, Clients, and the Culture That Scales

Introduction: How Darin Built Irish Titan

In the very first episode of Yet Another Agency Podcast, host Asim Bawany sits down with Darin Lynch, founder and CEO of Irish Titan, a 20-year veteran in the agency space. The two met in Austin at an industry event, and Asim was immediately struck by Darin’s clarity, conviction, and storytelling. In this episode, they dive deep into what drives Darin, how he founded Irish Titan, and what it takes to scale an agency without sacrificing your values.

Darin shares that he launched Irish Titan in 2004 after leading several pioneering eCommerce projects at OfficeMax, Wilson’s Leather, and Second Swing Golf. But the bankruptcy of his last employer pushed him to make the leap. “I wanted to succeed or fail on my own merits,” he says. And with that, he jumped off the cliff and built the net on the way down.

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Topic 1: The Evolution from Generalist to Specialist

When Darin launched Irish Titan, eCommerce was still a new and fragmented space. He started as a generalist digital agency. Over time, Irish Titan evolved alongside the market, becoming a focused eCommerce agency by 2014.

He shares a guiding philosophy that shaped that evolution:

“All agencies go through three phases: Everything for everybody. Something for everybody. Then something for somebody.”

That insight wasn’t just retrospective — Darin intentionally navigated toward specialization. He needed early wins to keep the lights on, but always kept an eye on narrowing focus as the company matured.

Topic 2: Values-Driven Leadership

The turning point for Darin came when he discovered Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. It helped crystallize his motivation — to leave a legacy — and gave him a framework to define Irish Titan’s identity.

Irish Titan’s Golden Circle:

• Why: Business First, Online Second
• How: Partnerships, Not Transactions
• What: Building & Growing eCommerce Channels

Alongside this, Darin codified the agency’s five core values, captured in the acronym POTUS:

• Passion
• Ownership
• Teamwork
• Impact
• Skills

These values weren’t invented in a workshop — they emerged over time, based on reflection and lived experience. “If you’d asked me to define our values in 2004, I would have gotten it wrong,” Darin says.

Topic 3: Embedding Culture Deeply and Practically

Defining your values is one thing. Embedding them across a growing team? That’s another challenge altogether.

Darin walks through how POTUS and the Golden Circle are actively used throughout the organization:

• Built into interview questions
• Structured into performance reviews
• Referenced in internal meetings
• Visible in office signage and documentation
• Celebrated through quarterly “Titan of the Quarter” awards

“Consistency and intentionality” are the keys. And it shows — team members now naturally reference the values, even in informal conversation.

Oh, and yes — someone once mailed them a literal potato with “POTUS” branded onto it. That’s how strongly the values resonate.

Topic 4: Choosing Clients Who Align With Your Values

Asim raises a shared challenge: What happens when a potential client doesn’t share your values?

Darin outlines his approach to choosing clients and maintaining partnerships:

“We make them say no twice.”

If a client wants to make a poor decision, Irish Titan doesn’t just roll with it. They push back respectfully, offering guidance, and will even walk away from business if the values or the relationship don’t align.

He uses a three-part trust framework to evaluate client fit:

• Character
• Competence
• Common Sense of Purpose

Clients who lack these traits, especially large ones with tempting budgets, may still be declined if they jeopardize the integrity of the partnership model.

Topic 5: Saying No to Say Yes (Later)

Darin and Asim agree that saying “no” can build more trust than saying “yes.”

Darin shares a recent example where Irish Titan lost a client because they refused to promise an impossible delivery timeline. Instead of bluffing or hedging, they were transparent: “Anyone who says they can deliver this that fast is either inexperienced or dishonest.”

That honesty cost them the deal, but likely earned them long-term respect. “If you’re betting your success on your client’s failures, you’re in a precarious position,” Darin notes.

In fact, many clients have returned later with gratitude, saying, “We should have listened to you.”

Final Word: Scaling Without Compromise

Asim closes the episode by reflecting on the clarity and depth Darin brings to agency leadership. From hiring and team development to client selection and cultural rituals, every piece ties back to values.

For agency leaders early in their journey — or struggling to codify culture at scale — this episode offers not just wisdom, but a roadmap. As Darin says, “If this isn’t the kind of team you want to be part of, that’s fine. But then go somewhere else.”