Mark Senefsky of Modeforge Speaks at Startup Waco: Rewriting the Rules of Tech Hustle and Innovation

Last week, our founder and CEO, Mark Senefsky, spoke at Startup Waco, sharing some behind-the-scenes lessons from the journey of building Modeforge into a creative, strategy-driven digital marketing agency.

In a space that too often rewards burnout over boundaries, Mark’s talk hit on two core themes that shape how we operate: building sustainable workflows and pricing innovation with intention.

The Grind Is Not a Growth Strategy

Mark opened with a candid critique of the “grind culture” that has seeped into startups and digital agencies alike. While passion and hustle have their place, he argued, the normalization of unsustainable workloads leads to burnout, lower quality output, and eventually, disillusioned teams.

“Grinding isn’t a growth strategy. It’s a countdown.”

Instead, he advocated for intentional scheduling, clear expectations, and room for creative energy to breathe. Sustainable success, he emphasized, requires treating your time and team as valuable resources—not expendable ones.

Pricing the Unconventional

Mark also tackled the often-avoided challenge of pricing unusual, undefined, or innovation-heavy client work. The key? Start with architecture.

“If a client isn’t willing to pay for a planning phase, they’re not the right client.”

He shared how Modeforge, as a digital marketing agency, approaches new projects—always beginning with a dedicated architectural phase that clarifies vision, feasibility, and value. This upfront investment not only protects the agency from scope creep and chaos, but also is the best avenue for clients ensuring they have realistic expectation and a concrete plan for successful implementation.

Why It Matters

We’re proud to be part of conversations that help reshape how digital work gets done. Whether it’s developing powerful campaigns or consulting on strategy, our goal remains the same: smart, human-centered marketing that scales.

A big thank you to Startup Waco for hosting such an intentional, energizing event—and to everyone who showed up ready to think differently.

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