The Heart and Science of Creative Leadership

Bill and Aarti are joined by Kathleen Gratehouse, founder of Highwire, discussing her journey in tech PR and the growth of her agency. Kathleen shares about the early days of Highwire, the challenges and benefits to starting an agency in an economic downturn, and their decision to secure outside capital investment.  She highlights the importance of choosing the right business partners and the value of a strong company culture. The conversation also touches on the topics of employee compensation and retention, diversity and inclusion, and managing burnout. 

"There's nothing that gives you more competitive advantage in hiring than a slowdown in your industry."

Reference

Highwire PR - https://www.highwirepr.com/about/kathleen-gratehouse

Aarti and Bill speak with Armando Azarloza, principal and co-founder of the AXIS agency, about the direction of multicultural marketing and the blurring of lines between multicultural and general markets.  As the market evolves, he believes that being in culture, rather than just language, is crucial for effective communication. He also articulates the concept of sponsorship versus mentorship culture within their firm, and emphasizes the importance of having sponsors who actively advocate and champion for individuals' career trajectories. 

"I think that at the end of the day, we see ourselves as champions or as advocates–evangelists, if you will–for our communities, for the marketplace, for our families. And so it's easy for us to wake up in the morning and evangelize the market because we are part of that market."

Reference

Axis Agency - https://www.theaxisagency.com/about.html

Bill and Aarti hear from Vijay Chattha, founder of VSC, as he shares his unconventional journey to becoming an agency owner and discusses his problem-solving approach to PR. His key insights on hiring PR outsiders, innovation, DEI, team culture in the remote work era, and connection in the age of AI are insightful and inspiring.

"We're just problem solvers. What's the problem today and what are we going to use in this toolkit to solve it?"

Reference

VSC - https://vsc.co/vijay-chattha/

Aarti and Bill sit down with Bob Feldman, co-founder of FHS Capital Partners and previous executive for ICF Next, DreamWorks Animation, GCI Group, Ketchum and Burson-Marsteller.

Bob articulates his journey from big agencies to entrepreneurship, sharing wisdom on moving from tactics to strategy in your agency, lifestyle vs. performance businesses, the significance of talent in professional service firms, and the importance of psychological safety in the workplace.

"A big part of defining a successful strategy is what you're not going to do."

Reference

FHS Capital Partners - https://www.fhscapitalpartners.com/

Bill and Aarti reflect on the key themes and lessons from their conversations with entrepreneurs. They explore a core question that every entrepreneur must answer: am I building a lifestyle or performance growth business? They also discuss the importance — and challenges — of transparency and how to operationalize culture and values. 

Bill and Aarti talk to Bob Finlayson, who co-founded Bold Marketing in 2020 after a decades long career working with brands like IBM, Salesforce and Microsoft in agency leadership roles. In this conversation, Bob talks about how he collaborates and compromises with his business partner — and how they have found creative solutions to bringing on senior talent as a boutique agency. The conversation also covers how they foster culture with a distributed network and some musings on our AI-bound future.  

"When you have a partner, one of the advantages is that you don't see everything alike. Paul and I challenge each other all the time."

Reference

Bold Marketing - https://www.boldmarcom.com/

In this episode, Bill and Aarti talk to Josh Reynolds who founded Rob Roy Consulting in 2017 and, before that, held several leadership positions at WPP agencies and marketing roles at startups. Josh shares insights on instilling culture within a family business and the challenges that come with it. He also reframes communications and public relations as the business of persuasion — and how that opens new channels for growth. They also discuss the balance between growth and lifestyle agencies and how to help talent thrive in boutique environments.

"I wouldn't wait until you're in your fifth decade to start doing what you believe in and using your time wisely."

Reference

Rob Roy Consulting - https://www.robroyconsulting.com

Bill and Aarti are joined by Jeff Hunt, former CEO of GCI Health and now a founding partner of Legend Labs. He talks about his journey from leading one of the biggest PR firms to becoming an entrepreneur. The conversation also covers: why leaders must move away from hourly billing, how to incentivize an ambitious workforce, and the tricky game of transparency when running a small firm. 

"There's value in starting a career in a structured environment before becoming an entrepreneur."

Reference

Legend Labs - https://legendlabs.com

Bill and Aarti are joined by Tracy Williams who founded Olmstead Williams Public Relations in 2008. Her success formula includes outright asking for business and speaking candidly about budgets with clients and prospects. She describes building her business on six core values that guide decision-making for the entire agency. The conversation also covers servant leadership, retaining top talent, and challenges with succession planning when no immediate heir is apparent.

"It's leading with a servant's heart. And that means that I'm never telling them what to do. I'm trying to ask them what they think they should do and how I can help them do it."

Reference

Tracy Williams - https://www.olmsteadwilliams.com/team/tracy-williams/

Olmsted Williams Core Values - https://www.olmsteadwilliams.com/about

Welcome to The Heart and Science of Creative Leadership, the podcast where we delve into the journeys of agency founders, exploring their methods, milestones, and mistakes. Hosted by Aarti Shah, a marketing and brand consultant for creative agencies, and Bill Coletti, an agency owner and leadership advisor, each episode offers intimate conversations with successful leaders in the creative industry.

Are you running or aspiring to run a creative professional services firm? This podcast is designed for you. We tackle real issues related to leadership, growth, and competition in today's dynamic landscape. Our guests share how they've overcome unique obstacles, offering insights and experiences to help you elevate your own creative leadership.

Join us for each episode as we distill the wisdom of friends we admire, transforming their experiences into valuable lessons for your journey. Tune in and eavesdrop on our cafe conversations with agency founders who have been there and thrived.

Subscribe now to The Heart and Science of Creative Leadership for your regular dose of inspiration and practical advice!