So I do run a company now, a digital agency, but I can’t say I founded it… instead I worked my way up from my first agency job as a receptionist, then a project manager, then an account manager, Junior UX, Senior UX, UX Director, Creative Director, Junior Partner, Senior Partner, then I bought out the founder and am now the owner of a small shop. Along the way I also learned as many other skills as possible. Photography, content strategy, brand strategy, video scripting and story boarding, copywriting, audio production, design, business analysis, data architecture, bookkeeping, sales, marketing and of course coding, which I came to late but it turns out is my favorite of all the agency roles. This was not the quick path to the top, but I’m driven by learning and curiosity and traveling this path was a good set-up for managing all of those roles.
It isn’t always easy convincing leadership that you are ready to take on a completely different role, but at smaller agencies the results tend to be what matter and everything typically needs doing at once so offers to help another team are not usually turned down cold. You just have to be willing to work some extra hours, be humble and honest about what you don’t know, and work hard towards your own goals on top of the job description.
There are a lot of reasons why it is gratifying to be the owner of a business. But there are also many long days and nights, and I work most weekends and rarely take time off. And an unfortunate amount of your time will be spent working on sales — my least favorite of the roles. So it isn’t for everyone, and whether it’s right for you depends on really knowing yourself and what kind of life you want.
A service business like a digital agency is very different from a startup, and it’s certainly not a get rich quick scenario. But it can be a good life, an interesting life, working with other smart, creative people trying to design and build good things.
If you have the itch, and the drive it can be done, but I would recommend working for a few different companies like the one you imagine starting first. That way you can learn the ropes and avoid the new company trap of reinventing the wheel at every turn.
And make the most of your time on the way up by learning as much as you can about the other roles, and keep asking questions, and asking advice, and making connections… and most of all learn about yourself and don’t be afraid to suddenly take sharp turns in your career to pursue different paths than the straight track you started on… other people won’t always understand, but if it feels right to you, trust yourself: it will lead you somewhere interesting.
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So I do run a company now, a digital agency, but I can’t say I founded it… instead I worked my way up from my first agency job as a receptionist, then a project manager, then an account manager, Junior UX, Senior UX, UX Director, Creative Director, Junior Partner, Senior Partner, then I bought out the founder and am now the owner of a small shop. Along the way I also learned as many other skills as possible. Photography, content strategy, brand strategy, video scripting and story boarding, copywriting, audio production, design, business analysis, data architecture, bookkeeping, sales, marketing and of course coding, which I came to late but it turns out is my favorite of all the agency roles. This was not the quick path to the top, but I’m driven by learning and curiosity and traveling this path was a good set-up for managing all of those roles.
It isn’t always easy convincing leadership that you are ready to take on a completely different role, but at smaller agencies the results tend to be what matter and everything typically needs doing at once so offers to help another team are not usually turned down cold. You just have to be willing to work some extra hours, be humble and honest about what you don’t know, and work hard towards your own goals on top of the job description.
There are a lot of reasons why it is gratifying to be the owner of a business. But there are also many long days and nights, and I work most weekends and rarely take time off. And an unfortunate amount of your time will be spent working on sales — my least favorite of the roles. So it isn’t for everyone, and whether it’s right for you depends on really knowing yourself and what kind of life you want.
A service business like a digital agency is very different from a startup, and it’s certainly not a get rich quick scenario. But it can be a good life, an interesting life, working with other smart, creative people trying to design and build good things.
If you have the itch, and the drive it can be done, but I would recommend working for a few different companies like the one you imagine starting first. That way you can learn the ropes and avoid the new company trap of reinventing the wheel at every turn.
And make the most of your time on the way up by learning as much as you can about the other roles, and keep asking questions, and asking advice, and making connections… and most of all learn about yourself and don’t be afraid to suddenly take sharp turns in your career to pursue different paths than the straight track you started on… other people won’t always understand, but if it feels right to you, trust yourself: it will lead you somewhere interesting.