EPISODE · May 7, 2026 · 26 MIN
The Figure-It-Outer: How Andi Graham Built 20 Years of Agency Authority on Purpose-Driven Work
from The Authority X-Factor Podcast · host Kelly Schuknecht | Two Mile High Marketing
In this episode of The Authority X-Factor Podcast, host Kelly Schuknecht sits down with Andi Graham, the Founder, CEO, and Managing Partner of Big Sea. With over 25 years of experience in digital strategy and marketing, Andi has evolved from a self-taught freelancer to the leader of a high-impact agency that helps purpose-driven brands and nonprofits move people to action. Andi’s journey is a masterclass in the long game of personal branding and professional evolution. From navigating the shift to remote work during a global pandemic to narrowing her agency’s focus toward organizations making a real-world impact, she shares how she balanced being a high-level CEO with the grit required to figure it all out from scratch. In this episode, you’ll discover: The "Figure-It-Outer" mindset and how Andi’s resourcefulness became her core Authority X-Factor. The specific catalyst that pushed Andi to move her life to North Carolina and her agency to a fully remote model. How a $30,000 grant program became the single most effective lead generator for her business. The reality of "the riches in the niches" and why it took nearly two years to see the full results of their pivot. The two pieces of advice Andi would give her 2005 self about pricing and decision-making speed. Andi also reflects on her experience as a survivor of Hurricane Helene and how she balances her role as a leader with being a devoted mom and Green Bay Packers fan. Resources: Big Sea: https://bigsea.co/ Andi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andi-graham/ Bureau of Digital: https://thebureau.community/ Association of Fundraising Professionals: https://afpglobal.org/join?msclkid=f147c6ee699214074d06af16956869d4 Connect with Kelly Schuknecht: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyschuknecht Buy Unlocking Your Authority X-Factor on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0el8IVIm Website: https://twomilehighmarketing.com | https://kellyschuknecht.com Subscribe to The Authority X-Factor Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a review if this episode added value to you!
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What this episode covers
In Episode 9 of The Authority X-Factor Podcast, Kelly Schuknecht sits down with Andi Graham, founder of Big Sea, a purpose-driven marketing agency she has been building since 2005. Andi’s path from solo freelancer to leading a fully remote, nationally recognized nonprofit marketing shop is a story of accidental clarity, deliberate reinvention, and 20 years of learning to trust her instincts. This episode covers the COVID pivot that forced Big Sea to choose a niche, the $30,000 grant program that became their best lead generator, the hard lessons of pricing and decision-making that took two decades to fully internalize, and how AI has brought Andi back to the part of the work she loves most: building things that have never been built before.
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The Figure-It-Outer: How Andi Graham Built 20 Years of Agency Authority on Purpose-Driven Work
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