Tier 2: SFW Workshops

Tier 2: in-depth AI Systems Workshops with exclusive content

these resources are made to move with you—and move you forward.

Most agencies don’t fail with AI because the tools are bad.
They fail because they skip the step where they actually understand why things aren’t working.

SFW Workshops exist to fix that.

This is Tier 2 of the SFW Systems Ladder — a diagnostic layer designed to help agency leaders make confident decisions before installing systems or committing resources.

No hype.
No demos.
No “best practices.”

Just clarity.

Who Tier 2 Is For

These workshops are built for agency founders, principals, and senior operators who:

  • Know AI matters, but haven’t pulled the trigger

  • Have experimented and feel scattered or stalled

  • Don’t want to turn AI into a side project

  • Want to understand where leverage actually lives

  • Are deciding whether Tier 3 even makes sense

If you’re trying to avoid expensive mistakes, you’re in the right place.

What Tier 2 Actually Is (And Isn’t)

Tier 2 Is:

  • A diagnostic engagement

  • Grounded in real agency workflows

  • Designed to surface constraints and tradeoffs

  • Focused on judgment, not tools

Tier 2 Is Not:

  • A course

  • Prompt training

  • Consulting hours

  • A disguised sales pitch

You won’t leave with more software. You’ll leave with decisions.

The Two Core SFW Workshops

1. Why Your AI Systems Aren’t Working (Yet)

This workshop breaks down the most common failure modes agencies hit when introducing AI:

  • Fragile automations

  • Overbuilt workflows

  • Too many inputs, no constraints

  • AI used everywhere — and nowhere well

  • Robotic output

We walk through:

  • A realistic system teardown

  • Where friction actually enters

  • Why “good tools” still fail

  • What to fix — and what to stop doing

This workshop is about preventing wasted effort, not accelerating it.

2. How Agencies Win Deals Before the RFP

This workshop focuses on prospect intelligence and deal dynamics, not proposals.

We cover:

  • Why RFPs are usually too late

  • How agencies lose before the pitch

  • What decision-grade intelligence actually looks like

  • Where AI helps — and where human judgment still matters

If new business is getting harder, this workshop will feel uncomfortably accurate.

How Workshops Are Delivered

Tier 2 workshops are offered in two formats:

Live Workshops

  • Small group or private sessions

  • Interactive, discussion-led

  • Tailored to real agency scenarios

Best for leadership teams deciding next steps.

Async Workshops

  • Recorded sessions + worksheets

  • Readiness diagnostics

  • Designed to be consumed quickly

Best if you want results without scheduling overhead.

Async workshops can be credited toward live sessions.

What You Leave With

After a Tier 2 workshop, agencies usually say:

  • “Now I understand why this felt harder than it should.”

  • “We were trying to solve the wrong problem.”

  • “This either makes Tier 3 obvious — or tells us to pause.”

Both outcomes are wins.

How Tier 2 Fits the Ladder

Tier 2 exists to answer one question:

Is it time to install systems — or not yet?

From here, agencies typically choose one of three paths:

No forced progression.
No sunk-cost pressure.

Is Tier 2 Right for You?

Tier 2 is a fit if:

  • You want to make a smart decision, not a fast one

  • You’re allergic to hype

  • You value clarity over velocity

If you’re looking for:

  • Templates

  • Hacks

  • Or someone to “just build it”

This probably isn’t for you.

A Note on Tier 4

Occasionally, a workshop reveals something else:

  • Complex deal dynamics

  • Competitive pressure

  • Custom intelligence needs

When that happens, bespoke advisory and system design may be discussed by invitation.

You don’t sign up for that. You arrive there. And that is a great place to be.

Tier 2 Workshop 01

why your ai systems don’t work (Yet)

A diagnostic workshop that breaks down why most agency AI experiments stall — even with the right tools — and shows where friction actually enters the system.


Clarity before committing to bigger systems or bigger spend.

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Tier 2: Workshop 02

win the deal before the rfp

A strategic workshop on how agencies lose — or win — deals long before the RFP shows up, and how AI-assisted market research and prospect intelligence changes the odds without replacing judgment.

Less guesswork. Better positioning. Faster decisions.

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From Our Clients

“The mix of video, written content, and downloadable resources makes everything feel accessible and well-rounded.”

Meet Your Instructor

  • Founder, CEO

    Francis Skipper is a former agency executive and hands-on digital operator who’s spent two decades fixing broken marketing systems, scaling teams, and helping agencies turn strategy into execution. The SFW:Unlocked framework was built from real-world wins, failures, and scar tissue — not theory.

Your Questions, Answered

  • No. These workshops are diagnostic, not instructional.
    You’re not here to learn tools or prompts — you’re here to understand why systems stall and what actually needs to change before installing anything bigger.

  • No. In fact, many agencies come to Tier 2 before committing to AI systems.
    The workshop helps you decide where AI makes sense — and where it doesn’t — so you don’t waste time or money chasing the wrong leverage.

  • You’ll leave with clarity and decisions, not a checklist.
    Some agencies move forward with installed systems. Others realize they should pause or simplify. Both outcomes are wins — and both prevent expensive mistakes.

    • Tier 2 helps you decide whether Tier 3 is the right move.

    • Tier 3 installs systems.

    • Tier 2 makes sure you’re solving the right problem first.

    If Tier 3 is “build it properly,” Tier 2 is “should we build it at all?”

  • No. Tier 2 stands on its own.
    If the workshop reveals that Tier 3 makes sense, we’ll say so. If it doesn’t, we’ll say that too. There’s no pressure to move forward.

  • Typically:

    • Agency founders

    • Principals

    • Senior operators
      Occasionally small leadership teams.

    These are decision-level conversations, not execution training.

  • Occasionally, a workshop surfaces custom or competitive dynamics that fall outside standard systems. In those cases, bespoke advisory and system design may be discussed by invitation — but that’s not the default or the goal.

    Tier 2 exists to give you confidence — not push you forward faster than you’re ready to go.