In this episode of Out of Scope, I sit down with strategist Darren Allison, who recently stepped out on his own to launch his agency, Understory.

We get into what strategy actually looks like inside agencies, the role of the brief, and why the best ideas don’t start with “what should we make?” but with a much better understanding of the problem you’re trying to solve.

Darren shares his path into the industry, from substitute teaching in Kansas to working with brands like Airbnb, Samsung, and Miller Lite, and what ultimately led him to build something of his own.