Right before the pandemic hit I started an agency and holy mother of god, I didn't know what I was in for. There is so much inherent drama in starting a business, particularly a creative agency. The competition is insane. The overhead is high. Client retention is a joke. So I figured I'd share my story as it unfolds to show you what it's like to start your own thing. And of course, what not to do.
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Right before the pandemic hit I started an agency and holy mother of god, I didn't know what I was in for. There is so much inherent drama in starting a business, particularly a creative agency. The competition is insane. The overhead is high. Client retention is a joke. So I figured I'd share my story as it unfolds to show you what it's like to start your own thing. And of course, what not to do.
Doug Scott gave me my start in advertising.
I was a 24-year-old former personal assistant to Tucker Max, with zero advertising experience and no clue what a "dial in" was. For Doug, that didn't matter. He didn't hire normal people. He took on restaurant managers, journalists, and swiss army knives of all kinds. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for him.
But I gotta be honest, Doug terrified me. He's a passionate and extremely smart dude who was determined to change the industry. And I was an insecure adolescent who just wanted him to like me. But when we chatted, it felt like I was talking to an old friend, a peer almost. I didn't realize how much I had grown and the confidence I built since first walking through the doors of Ogilvy. The best part is, during those 6 years, Doug grew just as much.
Enjoy.
How Not to Start an Ad Agency
Right before the pandemic hit I started an agency and holy mother of god, I didn't know what I was in for. There is so much inherent drama in starting a business, particularly a creative agency. The competition is insane. The overhead is high. Client retention is a joke. So I figured I'd share my story as it unfolds to show you what it's like to start your own thing. And of course, what not to do.
