Hamlet Azarian was a guest on Agency Mastery, hosted by Jason Swank, where he shared the journey behind building Azarian Growth Agency, from hands-on fixer for early-stage startups to leading one of the most data-driven marketing teams in the industry.
What started as a consulting role helping VC-backed startups define and validate go-to-market strategies quickly snowballed into a demand for a full-service growth agency.
That demand gave rise to a results-first, learning-obsessed culture that’s now scaling some of today’s most ambitious brands.
This conversation dives into how Hamlet builds talent from the ground up, the systems he’s implemented to accelerate team growth, and why investing in people is the real differentiator in agency success.
What Was Discussed
1. From Go-To Consultant to Full-Service Agency
Hamlet shares how his early career advising pre-product, venture-backed startups exposed him to the rawest version of go-to-market strategy, where speed, clarity, and measurable outcomes were the only things that mattered.
These experiences laid the foundation for what would become Azarian Growth Agency: a full-service performance marketing partner focused on scalability, experimentation, and accountability.
The agency was born not from a business plan, but from investor demand, and a proven ability to turn early-stage chaos into sustainable traction.
2. A Culture of Relentless Learning
Rather than rely on poaching senior talent, Hamlet built a proprietary education ecosystem within the agency.
Through the [A] Growth Academy, internal internship programs, and monthly Growth Lab webinars, the agency trains marketers from scratch, arming them with foundational knowledge, real client experience, and cross-channel execution skills.
Hamlet explains why teaching is the best way to reinforce clarity around strategy and execution, and how this model fuels a culture of growth, agility, and internal promotion.
3. Promotions Without Politics
At Azarian Growth Agency, career advancement isn’t tied to tenure or titles; it’s earned through performance, adaptability, and initiative.
Hamlet outlines a framework where team members prove their readiness through hands-on work, often starting with internal agency projects.
This “sandbox” approach reduces client risk while empowering team members to build new skills and demonstrate leadership capacity in a real-world environment, accelerating growth without compromising quality.
4. Retention Through Purpose, Not Pressure
While high retention is important, Hamlet is refreshingly honest about the reality that some top performers will eventually move on. And that’s okay. In fact, he sees it as part of the cycle of growth.
What matters is the experience they had while at the agency, because when people leave with positive relationships and a sense of development, they often return as clients, refer others, or become advocates.
Creating a culture that people are proud to have been a part of is the real long-term win.
5. Values-Driven Hiring That Actually Works
Hiring at Azarian Growth Agency is rooted in shared values, not just technical skill sets. Hamlet shares the agency’s non-negotiables: curiosity, clarity, communication, growth mindset, and coachability.
He explains why even experienced hires are evaluated for alignment with these traits and how this approach has helped the agency maintain high performance in a fast-paced environment where tools and tactics change daily.
When values are the filter, the team stays agile, collaborative, and mission-aligned.
Key Takeaways
- 00:00 – From Go-to Fixer to Full Agency
- 01:43 – A Culture of Relentless Learning
- 03:30 – Growing Talent from Scratch (and Letting Them Fly)
- 05:40 – Promotion by Performance, Not the Calendar
- 09:30 –The Secret Sauce to Keeping Good People
- 11:30 – Why it’s Okay if People Leave
- 13:41 – Experience vs. Fresh Eyes: The Balancing Act Every Agency Faces
Final Thoughts
Hamlet’s approach is a refreshing blueprint for agency leaders tired of chasing unicorn hires, burning out senior staff, or endlessly cycling through freelancers who don’t scale.
His belief that marketers can be built, not just bought, is more than philosophy; a proven operational model.
By embedding education into the agency’s DNA, creating transparent and merit-based growth paths, and hiring for values over vanity metrics, Azarian Growth Agency has built a system where learning is constant and career velocity is earned.
This people-first, performance-driven culture is what allows the agency to thrive in high-change environments and consistently deliver results in some of the most competitive digital channels.
For agency founders, operators, or team leads navigating the challenges of team development, this episode offers tactical insight and long-term perspective.
If you’re looking to build a resilient, high-performing team that adapts as fast as the industry evolves, Hamlet’s playbook is a must-study.
