#OneTwentyThreeWest

[themadvertiser]

Cannes 2015 Day 6 / One Twenty Three West

GOOD AT YOUR JOB? STOP DOING IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE.

Hosted by ONE TWENTY THREE WEST

If you’re at the top of your game, the time to start your own ad/design/digital firm is probably now. Because you’re giving your best years to build a company that likely won’t be there for you in 15 years from now.

These were the lessons learned from recent startup One Twenty Three West from Vancouver, Canada. After only two years in business they have over 20 clients, have been named one of the top 10 agencies in Canada, won awards such as a Cyber Lion for their 123w.ca website and are now speaking at The Cannes Festival of Creativity for the second year in a row.

8 REASONS TO START YOUR OWN AGENCY

You’ve realized that the people who hired you are the problem.

You hate everyone. Even the nice people.

Your company’s say it’s about the work. But you know it’s about the money - just not for you.

You spend more time in meetings and dealing with internal politics than doing the work.

You’re not doing the things that made you great.

You’re focused but your agency isn’t.

You’re not learning anymore.

You realize it’s easier to start something new than fix something old.

5 BORING PEOPLE YOU NEED:

The CFO.

The Lawyer.

The Accountant.

The Banker.

The Insurance Broker.

BUILDING THE BRAND

Find Blue Water (Blue Ocean Strategy) and focus on what you’re good at.

Test it before you go live (with key clients, partners, employees, etc…).

Tip: No Portfolio (always present your portfolio in person, not digitally).

Press is free. And a thousand times better than any ad. Make press a priority.

Your space is the best intro to your story.

SET CONCRET GOALS

Happiness (your team’s personal goals and dreams).

Awards (1 Cannes Lion, 1 Effie, etc…).

Revenue (base, target, stretch).

Press (mainstream media, industry articles).

TOOLS

Estimates: Quotient

Timesheets: Harvest

Billing: Xero

Computer + Internet + Printer + Smartphone = Agency