WORK LIFE LESSONS
SMALL-AGENCY OWNER. LARGE-AGENCY PARTNER. NOW HIRED GUN.
Consistently, and painlessly, producing nationally-recognized work from my neighborhood coffeeshop.
Here’s the most important thing I learned while running my own nationally recognized “boutique:” An agile, well-directed creative team can stand toe-to-toe with anyone. Years later, when I helped lead the largest BtoB agency in the world, a similar lesson took hold: Our best work was often produced by creatives smart enough to squirrel themselves away from “processes” that only managed to dilute strong ideas, complicate simple ones – and needlessly drive up costs along the way. Today, I’m betting (everything as it turns out) that small is more valuable than ever.
CO-FOUNDED. . .
. . . one of the most decorated small BtoB agencies in the country. The Fergus/Peters Group surprised a lot of people with the caliber and reputation of our work.
Me especially.
STARTED. . .
. . . the Chicago office of the largest BtoB agency in the world. Gyro was named large agency of the year five times while I was there. As the architect of some of their best-known work, I like to think I made at least a small contribution to that distinction.
LED. . .
. . . one of BtoB’s most consistently awarded creative teams. Hands-on development of: Ad Age’s BtoB Campaign Of The Year. Addy’s National Event of The Year. EFFIE Award for Sales Development Tool. Grand CEBA. Multiple Best In Shows at NAMA’s, B2s and Tower Awards.
See Some Thinking
And if perhaps we think alike.