How to Get the Best Out of Your Website Agency with Sanya Ristic and Janis Thomas (episode 557)
Sanya Ristic is the Director of Innovation and Client Relations at illuminise, the UK’s leading Certified Adobe Commerce & Magento Agency, ranked #1 on Clutch.co. Sanya and her team create and maintain high-performance Magento 2 eCommerce websites that boost sales and improve conversion for their clients across B2B, B2C, and D2C.
AND Sanya’s bought one of her clients along: yes, we’ve got the brilliant Janis Thomas from Look Fabulous Forever back on the show!
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Dive in:
[03:40] “Finding Mr. Right Unexpectedly”
[08:15] Successful Website Outsourcing Experience
[09:49] Client-Agency Collaboration Dynamics
[13:52] Psychologically Safe Agency Relationship
[18:14] Break Down Communication Silos
[21:02] Podcast Insights: Navigating Business Relationships
[22:25] Listen to Sanya and Janis’ Top Tips!
[27:31] Find out more about illuminise
Strong agency relationships are built on collaboration
Sanya and Janis emphasize that the most successful agency-client relationships are deeply collaborative. Instead of focusing solely on task delivery, they work together as true partners. This includes sharing future plans, inviting feedback, and discussing even emotional responses to challenges. Sanya highlights that any difficulty can become an opportunity for co-creation. This approach leads to better solutions, smoother workflows, and stronger trust.
Trust unlocks innovation and faster decision-making
Because of the strong foundation of trust, Sanya can suggest bold changes—like major website platform migrations—and receive near-immediate buy-in. Janis doesn’t hesitate because she knows Sanya understands her business inside out. This level of trust speeds up decision-making and makes space for experimentation. Without the friction of doubt, ideas move faster, and progress comes easier.
Direct communication with developers breaks down silos
One unique element of Sanya’s agency is that clients speak directly with developers. There are no rigid project manager bottlenecks or hierarchical walls. This means that problems are solved faster, feedback loops are tighter, and everyone understands the “why” behind decisions. It reduces miscommunication and helps developers feel ownership of their work—while also helping clients feel heard and understood.
You can’t fake partnership—it must come from values and mindset
Both Sanya and Janis agree that truly collaborative relationships can’t be forced with tools or processes alone. They come from a shared mindset. That means being open, curious, and respectful. It also means both sides must be willing to grow and adjust. Sanya’s own transformation came from personal development, which she brought into her business. As she changed, her agency culture changed too—and clients like Janis noticed and responded in kind.
Don’t Settle for the Wrong Fit—Follow Your Gut
The episode closes with an important message: if something feels wrong in your agency relationship, address it directly. If repeated efforts to improve things don’t work, it might be time to move on. You need an agency whose values and mindset align with yours for true partnership and growth. Sticking with a poor fit wastes time and energy, while the right agency can make a massive impact on your business. Trust your instincts, and make changes if the relationship isn’t helping you reach your goals.
eCommerce Book Top Tip
eCommerce Traffic Top Tip
- Use digital advertorials with major publishers to drive traffic. These sponsored articles not only deliver immediate visibility and SEO benefits through link building, but also help teach AI models about your brand for long-term gains.
Tool Top Tip
- Use the Theory U framework to navigate complex challenges. This change management tool helps teams co-create solutions by bringing together diverse voices, tapping into shared emotional insight, and unlocking breakthroughs through reflective conversations.
Carbon Top Tip
- Improve website speed to reduce carbon footprint. By optimizing performance and removing both technical and relational bottlenecks, Sanya’s team cut average page load time from 10 seconds to 2, dramatically lowering energy use and emissions while also boosting user experience.
Interview links
- Episode sponsored by illuminise. Watch Sanya’s Meet Magento talk on co-creation, experimentation, and co-creating future together.
- Sanya on LinkedIn
- Check out Look Fabulous Forever
- Janis on LinkedIn
Related Episodes
- Building a successful relationship with your Ad Agency, inc behind the scenes of our Summit (episode 345)
- Grow from 7 figures to 8 figures in beauty with Janis Thomas from Look Fabulous Forever (episode 404)
- The SEO Strategy for High-SKU Stores (and Hear How It 10Xed Sales) with Blink SEO’s Sam Wright (episode 494)
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