AgencyRelay
How it works · Partner models

Three ways to engage as a partner

Pick the partner model that fits the relationship — not the other way around. All three sit on the same MSA, the same no-poach commitments, and the same Salt Technologies contracts.

Book a Partner CallSend Us the Opportunity
  • Referral · White-label · Dedicated Partner Pods
  • Same MSA across every model
  • Contracted through Salt Technologies, Inc.
The three models at a glanceIndex
  • 01Referral partner
    Hand-off · Per close
  • 02White-label delivery
    Under your brand · Per SOW
  • 03Dedicated Partner Pod
    Reserved · Monthly

Most partners start in white-label delivery and either stay there or graduate into a Dedicated Partner Pod.

Important distinction

Dedicated Partner Pods are an engagement model for ongoing reserved capacity — not a core solution

AgencyRelay has four core solutions. Dedicated Partner Pods are a way of structuring reserved capacity around those solutions, billed monthly with a named team. They show up here, on the partner-models page, because they're about how you engage — not about what work gets delivered.

  1. Layer 01Solutions

    What gets delivered — Proposal Rescue Desk, Invisible Delivery Team, Overflow Pods, Capability Expansion.

    See solutions
  2. Layer 02Partner models

    How the relationship is shaped — referral, white-label, or Dedicated Partner Pods.

    You're here
  3. Layer 03Pricing approach

    How the engagement is priced and billed — public starting prices, weekly or monthly cadences.

    See pricing approach
The three models, in detail

Each model has a clear job — and is wrong for the wrong moment

A precise read on what each partner model does, what shape the engagement takes, and when it's the wrong fit. Pick by relationship, not by what's available.

Model 01 / 03Hand-off model

Referral partner

When the work isn't yours to deliver

Distinction — You introduce the opportunity, AgencyRelay signs the client directly, and an agreed referral fee flows back to you for the duration of the attribution window.

Use this when an opportunity sits outside what you want to deliver — wrong stack, wrong scope, wrong moment for your roadmap. The relationship is clean: introduction in, referral fee out, no delivery risk on your side.

What it covers

  • Direct intro to the founder or delivery lead
  • Mutual NDA in place before the brief is shared
  • Salt Technologies contracts the client directly
  • Referral fee schedule defined in writing up-front
  • Quarterly attribution window with a written close-out

Best when

  • You don't want to carry delivery risk on this account
  • The work falls outside the services you want to offer
  • The client is comfortable contracting with Salt directly
Not for

Active accounts you want to keep ownership of — that's white-label territory.

Talk about a referral partner fit
Model 02 / 03Under-your-brand model

White-label delivery partner

When the client expects delivery from you

Distinction — AgencyRelay operates as the invisible delivery layer behind your agency. You own the relationship, brand, and roadmap — we execute under clearly defined boundaries with no client-facing footprint by default.

This is the most common engagement model and the operating default for active delivery work. Structured comms, named delivery lead, white-label boundaries written into the SOW. Day-to-day, the client never knows we're there unless you decide they should.

What it covers

  • Named delivery lead inside your shared channel
  • Async daily standups, weekly status, bi-weekly working call
  • White-label boundaries defined in the SOW
  • No client-facing footprint from AgencyRelay by default
  • Optional badge / sub-brand on request, never imposed

Best when

  • Delivery work that has already been sold to your client
  • Long-arc engagements with structured scope and reporting
  • Sensitive client relationships that need clean boundaries
Not for

Single quick consults — that's usually a Proposal Rescue Desk cycle, not a delivery engagement.

Talk about a white-label delivery partner fitSee Invisible Delivery Team
Model 03 / 03Reserved-capacity model

Dedicated Partner Pod

Ongoing reserved capacity, billed monthly

Distinction — A reserved pod of named team members, set capacity per week, monthly billing. Built for recurring delivery needs where you want a known team behind your agency every month — not a fresh scope every time.

This is the longest-arc partner model. The pod composition is named in the agreement, the capacity is reserved, and the rate is calibrated for a multi-month commitment. Most agencies graduate into this from a successful Overflow Pods or Invisible Delivery Team engagement.

What it covers

  • Named pod members reserved against your agency
  • Set weekly capacity per role (devs, designers, PMs, QA)
  • Monthly billing with quarterly renewal
  • Roll-up reporting across all client engagements in the pod
  • Calibrated discount on the standard weekly pod rate

Best when

  • Recurring delivery volume across multiple end clients
  • An ongoing roadmap with predictable team needs
  • Agencies graduating from Overflow Pods into a longer arrangement
Not for

One-off bursts or unpredictable spikes — that's Overflow Pods (different shape on purpose).

Talk about a dedicated partner pod fitGlossary: Dedicated Partner Pod
Side-by-side

How the three models actually differ

Same delivery muscle underneath. Different shape on top — who signs the client, how billing works, what the brand exposure looks like, and how long the commitment runs.

Attribute
Hand-offReferral
DefaultWhite-label
ReservedDedicated Pod
Who signs the end clientSalt Technologies, Inc.Your agencyYour agency
Brand exposureAgencyRelay is visibleYour brand onlyYour brand only
Billing cadencePer-close referral feeWeekly or per-engagementMonthly retainer
Commitment shapePer opportunityPer SOW windowQuarterly minimum, rolling
Capacity shapeN/A — handed offScoped per engagementReserved per role, per week
Pricing postureStandard delivery ratesPublic starting prices10–15% below standard pod rates
Best matchesOut-of-scope opportunitiesActive delivery under your brandRecurring monthly demand

Same delivery operation underneath every column. The MSA, the no-poach commitments, and the US-aligned working hours don't change based on which model you pick.

Don't confuse these two

Overflow Pods vs Dedicated Partner Pods

Both involve a pod. Both run under your brand. Both sit on the same delivery operation. They diverge on a single axis: variable vs reserved.

Variable01 / 02

Overflow Pods

Variable / burst capacity

  • Spin up in days when the team is full
  • Scope and team flex per engagement
  • Per-engagement or weekly billing
  • 1-week minimum, no long commitment
See Overflow Pods
Reserved02 / 02

Dedicated Partner Pods

Ongoing reserved capacity

  • Named team reserved against your agency
  • Set weekly capacity per role
  • Monthly retainer with quarterly renewal
  • Calibrated discount for the longer commitment
Read about the Dedicated Pod model

If your delivery volume is bursty, Overflow Pods. If it's recurring and predictable, Dedicated Partner Pod. The difference is shape, not quality.

Pick the model

Three partner-model questions — pick the one that fits today

Most agency owners can pick a starting model in under a minute. The model can change later; the relationship doesn't have to.

Q.01→ Model 01

Do you want delivery off your plate entirely?

Referral partner

We sign the client, you take the referral fee, you stay out of delivery. Best for opportunities outside your service line.

Jump to Referral partner
Q.02→ Model 02

Do you want to keep the client and own the brand on active work?

White-label delivery partner

AgencyRelay runs invisible delivery behind your agency. The client expects delivery from you and that's exactly what they get.

Jump to White-label delivery partner
Q.03→ Model 03

Do you have recurring monthly delivery you want a named team for?

Dedicated Partner Pod

Reserved pod, named members, monthly billing, calibrated rate. The setup most ongoing partners eventually graduate into.

Jump to Dedicated Partner Pod
What stays the same

The same operating spine sits underneath every partner model

Whichever model you pick, these are the defaults that don't get itemised, negotiated away, or skipped to start faster.

  • Default

    Single MSA across the relationship

    The Master Services Agreement is signed once with Salt Technologies, Inc. Every SOW slots underneath it.

  • Default

    Mutual NDA before any brief

    Signed before client names, account details, or commercial information change hands.

  • Default

    No-poach / non-solicitation clause

    Mutual, written into every MSA, with a defined window after the engagement ends.

  • Default

    White-label safe by default

    Zero client-facing footprint from AgencyRelay unless joint comms are explicitly agreed in writing.

  • Default

    US-aligned working hours

    A daily overlap window with US business hours on every active engagement, written into the SOW.

  • Default

    Founder-led delivery thinking

    Engagements are shaped by the founder and a delivery lead — not handed straight to a junior coordinator.

The trust spine is documented in full on the No-Poach & Confidentiality page — the same instruments apply across every partner model on this page.

Read the trust termsSee Powered by Salt
Keep exploring

Where most agency owners go next

The partner model is one part of the picture. These are the most common next stops once the engagement shape is clear.

Invisible Delivery Team

The active delivery solution most white-label engagements run on.

See the solution
Overflow Pods

Variable burst capacity — the counterpart to Dedicated Partner Pods.

See the solution
Capability Expansion

Add new service lines without hiring early — often runs as a Dedicated Partner Pod.

See the solution
How It Works

The full operating model — partner models, comms, time overlap, pricing.

Read the operating model
No-Poach & Confidentiality

The trust spine that sits underneath every engagement model.

Read the trust terms
Powered by Salt

The 13+ year delivery company behind every AgencyRelay engagement.

See the proof
Partner-model FAQ

The questions agency owners ask before picking a model

Direct answers to what comes up most often between reading this page and booking a call.

See full FAQ
  • Q.01

    Can we start in one model and move to another later?

    Yes — the models are designed to flow into each other. Referral introductions occasionally turn into white-label engagements once the agency rebuilds the right service line. White-label engagements regularly graduate into Dedicated Partner Pods once the volume becomes predictable. The MSA covers the relationship; each engagement carries its own SOW.

  • Q.02

    What's the difference between Overflow Pods and Dedicated Partner Pods?

    Overflow Pods are variable / burst capacity — short-cycle, scoped per engagement, with weekly billing and a 1-week minimum. Dedicated Partner Pods are ongoing reserved capacity — a named team, set weekly capacity per role, monthly retainer, with a quarterly minimum. Same delivery operation underneath; different commitment shape on top.

  • Q.03

    How is referral attribution handled?

    Attribution is written into the referral agreement up-front: the introduction window, the referral fee schedule, and the close-out cadence. We pay quarterly against signed and invoiced revenue inside the attribution window. Outside that window, the engagement continues without further attribution unless re-negotiated.

  • Q.04

    Can we use AgencyRelay's name in front of our clients on a white-label engagement?

    By default, no. White-label is the operating default and the SOW is written that way. If your account benefits from a sub-brand or co-delivery badge, that's an explicit addition to the SOW — never an improvised decision mid-engagement.

  • Q.05

    What's the minimum size for a Dedicated Partner Pod?

    The minimum viable Dedicated Pod is roughly one delivery role (e.g. a senior developer or designer) plus a part-time delivery lead, reserved at a defined weekly capacity. The exact composition is calibrated against your roadmap. Below that volume, an ongoing Invisible Delivery Team SOW is usually a cleaner fit.

  • Q.06

    Can we run multiple partner models with you concurrently?

    Yes, and many partners do — typically a Dedicated Partner Pod for ongoing recurring delivery and an Overflow Pods SOW for spike weeks. Both sit under the same MSA. Referral arrangements can also run alongside delivery engagements when the opportunity sits outside the agreed scope.

  • Q.07

    Who actually signs the contracts in each model?

    In the Referral model, Salt Technologies signs the end client. In the White-label and Dedicated Partner Pod models, your agency signs the end client and Salt Technologies signs your agency. Every contract — MSA, NDA, SOW — is issued by Salt Technologies, Inc., the legal entity behind AgencyRelay.

  • Q.08

    Are no-poach commitments different across models?

    No. The mutual no-poach / non-solicitation language sits inside the single MSA and applies across whichever model is active. It runs for the duration of the engagement and a defined window after — same terms whether you're referring, white-labelling, or running a reserved pod.

Bring the relationship

Tell us how you want to work — we'll point you at the partner model that fits and the cleanest first engagement.

Referral, white-label, or Dedicated Partner Pod — the right answer is usually obvious in 15 minutes. Bring the brief and we'll respond with a clear read on fit.

Book a Partner CallSend Us the Opportunity
Operating defaultsMSA / NDA / SOW issued by Salt Technologies, Inc.US-aligned working hoursNo-poach commitmentsWhite-label safe by default