WORK LIFE LESSONS

About Brian Peters

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.

SOME VITAL STATS

+
AWARDS
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.

There are two paths really: I will serve just enough to make the maximum profit,
or I will profit just enough to provide the maximum service.”

Seth Godin
Seth Godin
SERVICE & PASSION

WORDS TO LIVE, AND WORK, BY

Maybe it’s because I’m doing the whole bootstrapping thing – again – and have little time to noodle over the perfect mission statement. But even if I had all the time in the world, something tells me that I could never sum up my own approach to work, and life, better than these two guys.

Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress.  
Working hard for something we love is called passion.”

Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek

WORK LIFE OUTSIDE
THE COFFEESHOP

  • 3,000 Feet Above The Ground

    To be clear, I’m not holding that camera – that’s intrepid photographer Andy Goodwin.  My job was to nervously announce how close he was to edge.

  • 3,000 Below The Ground

    A five minute elevator ride straight down, followed by a 45-minute jeep ride.  Definitely not a day to forget your lunch in the car.

  • Just Happy To Be On The Ground

    Producer. Director. Baggage Handler.

  • Ungrounded Altogether

    Stuntman standin.

  • Making New Friends

    Celebrating the night before Holi with a bonfire festival called Holika.

  • Questioning My New Friends

    You should see the other guy.

Best. Shoot. Day. Ever.
Maybe it’s because this iPhone test footage features my own kids (and a few neighborhood stowaways), but this is the best cast I ever worked with.

BRAND EXPERIENCE

Account and Creative Director For Top Brands. Producing Best-In-Category Work.

See Some Thinking

And if perhaps we think alike.

my work