The Galactic Growth Framework: How to Grow a Global Remote Agency to 150+ People (feat. Zach Boyette)

As an agency founder, the path to growth can often feel like navigating uncharted territory. How do you scale your team while maintaining a strong culture? What's the best way to structure your organization for sustainable expansion? How do you prioritize your team's well-being while still delivering exceptional results for clients?

Zach Boyette, co-founder and managing partner at Galactic Fed, has tackled these questions head-on while growing his agency to 150 employees across 25 countries. Drawing from his experience, we've distilled his insights into the Galactic Growth Framework - a comprehensive playbook for agency leaders looking to scale their business without sacrificing their values or their team's happiness.

The framework consists of four key pillars:

1. The Documentation Directive
2. The Culture Catalyst
3. The Hiring Heuristic
4. The Leadership Axiom

Let's dive into each pillar and unpack the actionable strategies within.

Pillar 1: The Documentation Directive

The foundation of the Galactic Growth Framework is a robust documentation process. As Zach puts it, "Galactic Fed never could have scaled to the size that we are now if we hadn't had what we call the Galactic Fed way, which is a sort of blueprint documentation that we do for literally everything."

Implementing The Documentation Directive involves:

• Having each team member dedicate a couple hours per week to documenting their processes
• Creating detailed onboarding materials that immerse new hires in your company's way of doing things
• Building a library of SOPs (standard operating procedures) for every repeatable task
• Using tools like ClickUp for project management and Google Suite for living documents

By systematizing your agency's knowledge, you create a consistent client experience and empower your team to work autonomously without relying on the founder's presence.

Pillar 2: The Culture Catalyst

Scaling an agency is as much about growing your culture as it is about growing your revenue. This is especially true for remote teams, where fostering a sense of belonging and connection requires intentional effort.

The Culture Catalyst pillar involves:

• Creating casual Slack channels around shared interests (e.g. pets, music, hobbies)
• Holding quarterly all-hands meetings focused on personal updates and team bonding
• Leading by example with your communication style (using emojis, being open and vulnerable)
• Protecting your team from abusive clients, even if it means firing a high-paying one

Zach emphasizes that culture starts at the top: "The way that I communicate with them [leaders] is really going to trickle down. So something I've noticed just for fun, if I start randomly using a new emoji in Slack, within a week, the entire company is using that emoji."

Pillar 3: The Hiring Heuristic

Hiring the right people is crucial for any agency, but it's especially critical when scaling a remote team. You need self-starters who are comfortable with asynchronous, written communication.

The Hiring Heuristic pillar involves:

• Using written assessments early in the hiring process to gauge communication skills and job fit
• Conducting thorough reference checks, going beyond the references provided by the candidate
• Hiring for attitude and cultural fit, not just technical skills
• Promoting from within whenever possible to maintain cultural continuity

Zach's agency uses a unique approach to reference checks: "We have a grid in our written assessment that says, please list your five most recent supervisors, their name, their email address, what they would rate you on a one to 10 scale and why. And we say at the bottom, we reserve the right to contact references of our own choosing, even if you did not list them yourself."

Pillar 4: The Leadership Axiom

As your agency grows, your role as a founder shifts from day-to-day execution to leading leaders. This transition requires a new set of skills and a more strategic approach to communication.

The Leadership Axiom pillar involves:

• Having a regular cadence of written updates from your leaders prior to 1:1 meetings
• Showing presence and understanding of each leader's team and challenges
• Planning your org chart far in advance and hiring proactively for the structure you want
• Avoiding attaching your personal brand to the agency and instead building a company brand that can exist beyond you

Zach stresses the importance of empowering your leaders while still staying engaged: "I really want my team to feel that I am a present member of each of their sub teams in whatever way that may mean."

Implementing the Galactic Growth Framework

While the four pillars provide a solid foundation, the real power of the Galactic Growth Framework lies in its customization to your unique agency. As you implement these strategies, consider your specific goals, clientele, and team dynamics.

Start by assessing your current documentation processes. Are there gaps in your SOPs? Could your onboarding be more immersive? Identify areas for improvement and create an action plan to address them.

Next, look at your culture. Do your team members feel connected and supported? Are there opportunities for more personal sharing and bonding? Lead by example in your communication and consider what new rituals or channels you could introduce.

When it comes to hiring, review your current process. Are you assessing for the right skills and attributes? Could your reference checks be more thorough? Make a list of changes to implement in your next hiring round.

Finally, reflect on your leadership style. Are you providing your leaders with the right balance of autonomy and support? Do you have a clear vision for your org chart? Consider how you can become more strategic in your communication and decision making.

The Galactic Growth Framework is not a rigid prescription, but rather a flexible set of principles to guide your agency's growth. By adapting these strategies to your unique context, you can scale your team, strengthen your culture, and achieve your goals without burning out or compromising your values.

In the words of Zach Boyette, "I think there's just so many different opportunities for remote work that people haven't really explored. And I'm really excited to see what the future looks like." By embracing the Galactic Growth Framework, you can be part of shaping that future - one where agencies thrive at any size, and where team happiness is just as important as client satisfaction.