From Time Tracking to Time Intelligence, With Elizabeth Thorn

## Points of Interest - **00:01 – 00:35 – Introducing Time Intelligence:** Carson Pierce welcomes Elizabeth Thorn to discuss how agencies can use better time data to improve profitability and decision making. - **00:35 – 02:18 – From Agency Owner to SaaS Leader:** Elizabeth shares how her experience running a digital marketing agency shaped her perspective on operational efficiency and measuring time. - **02:18 – 04:31 – Why Time Tracking Needs to Evolve:** The conversation explores why simply recording hours is no longer enough and how agencies can use time data to make smarter business decisions. - **04:31 – 06:46 – The Foundation of Reliable Data:** Elizabeth explains why accurate, consistent time tracking is essential for forecasting, pricing, utilization, and project profitability. - **06:46 – 09:15 – Improving Time Tracking Adoption:** Carson and Elizabeth discuss practical ways to reduce friction, encourage team participation, and improve the quality of time data. - **09:15 – 11:44 – Balancing Privacy and Accountability:** Elizabeth explains why agencies can collect meaningful operational data without relying on invasive employee surveillance. - **11:44 – 15:35 – Using Time Data to Prevent Profit Loss:** The discussion covers how historical time data can help agencies improve capacity planning, identify delivery issues early, and prevent projects from exceeding budget. - **15:35 – 17:28 – Understanding Where Profit Leaks Away:** Elizabeth highlights common sources of lost profitability, including scope creep, non-billable work, excessive context switching, and inaccurate project estimates. - **17:28 – 19:12 – Busy Teams Are Not Always Productive Teams:** Carson explains why teams can feel overwhelmed while still falling short of profitability goals, and why utilization alone does not tell the full story. - **19:12 – 23:20 – Measuring the Cost of Context Switching:** Elizabeth recommends tracking a typical workweek to uncover hidden inefficiencies and better understand how work is actually distributed. - **23:20 – 29:18 – Learning from Historical Performance:** Carson and Elizabeth discuss how agencies can use historical project data to create more realistic forecasts, staffing plans, and utilization targets. - **29:18 – 32:48 – Connecting Time Data with Agency Operations:** The conversation explores how time tracking works alongside project management, finance, and operational workflows to improve visibility across the business. - **32:48 – 35:13 – Building a More Profitable Agency:** Elizabeth closes by encouraging agency owners to establish trustworthy operational data first, making it easier to improve margins, utilization, capacity planning, and long-term profitability. ## Show Notes - Connect with Elizabeth Thorn & Toggl - LinkedIn - YouTube - Heist Calculator (Agency Profit Leakage Tool) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.