Between rejections & aha moments: Ad agency founders share honest lessons

Swimming against the tides, many creative folks have left legacy ad agencies to start their own business, which took a lot of courage. Entrepreneurs Gautam Reghunath, Manish Bhatt, Pallavi Chakaravarti, Ramanuj Shastry, Hetal Khalsa and Unmisha Bhatt Asher are amongst those few who took the plunge. In this piece, they share their journey filled with failure, anxiety and success. 

In the advertising industry, where creativity meets strategy, ad agency founders have a pivotal role in shaping how brands are seen and the stories they tell. Founders of these agencies are like architects, orchestrating campaigns that breathe life into concepts and make products more meaningful.

As these entrepreneurs look back on their journeys, their contemplation often extends beyond the good things they've done. The question they ask themselves, "What would I do differently?" and “What would the future of my start-up look like?” With the advantage of hindsight, agency founders think about the new things they could have tried, unexplored strategies, and untested ideas that might have made an even bigger impact and helped them chart a better future for their agencies. These founders reflect on the nuanced decisions that shaped their trajectories.  As the World celebrates Entreperneruship Day, these Indian ad agency founders reflect on the nuanced decisions that shaped their trajectories.

I Wish I Had…

If given a chance to restart their entrepreneurial journeys, Gautam Reghunath, CEO at Talented, would have started Talented much earlier.

Reghunath said, “Started much, much earlier. The most common thing you’ll hear founders say is, “I wish I’d taken the leap earlier’. And, on the days when it’s not really going well or if the business itself isn’t looking like it's heading anywhere it’s, ‘I wish I'd just made these mistakes earlier and got on with it.’”

While Pallavi Chakaravarti, Founder, Fundamental emphasized the importance of adaptability and resilience and highlighted that even with another chance, she would have changed nothing. 

She said, “The reality is, you're never truly prepared for this and you just have to plunge in and go about things the best way that you know how. If you cover bases on some fronts, there are others that will surprise you. You have to let the story unfold, one day at a time. And your journey will be unique. So it's not like emulating what others have done will get you the same results.”

Going back to the year 2013, when Infectious Advertising was born, Ramanuj Shastry, Creative Chairman & Managing Partner, Infectious Advertising, shared an important learning experience from his journey. He advocated for shedding the burden of excessive anxiety related to success and embracing the journey itself.

“If I got a chance to restart my journey as an entrepreneur the first thing I would do differently is to be less anxious about success. Worrying about success is about as effective as chewing bubblegum to solve an algebra equation ( to quote Baz Luhrmann). I was worried sick for the first couple of years of my entrepreneurial journey. If I started out again, I’d enjoy the ride more,” said Shastry. 

Hetal Khalsa co-founded PivotRoots in 2016. The agency was recently acquired by Havas India.

Looking back at this long journey, Khalsa, CCO, PivotRoots - A Havas Company, said, "If I had to change one thing that could have helped us with even greater growth, it would be investing in our senior talent even more. Not that we didn’t invest in talent, but we were always pulled into the day-to-day activities and couldn’t focus on the larger goals. We learnt quickly though and now we have a team that embraces our core values and is helping us grow leaps and bounds."

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I Aspire To…

While starting an advertising agency can look glamorous on the outside, there are a lot of challenges that ad agency founders go through. Bootstrap agencies, especially, struggle to win their clients and employees. Not only do they struggle to maintain a steady inflow of cash, they also need to foster creativity, which is the bread and butter of any advertising agency. 

A few home-grown agencies have set a successful example for young entrepreneurs. They can refer to this roadmap to find an easier route to their destination. 

Trying to find a balance between creativity and business can be an overwhelming responsibility. Unmisha (Bhatt) Asher, Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Tonic Worldwide, encourages young entrepreneurs to delve beyond the surface allure of creativity and immerse themselves in the intricacies that lie beneath.

She said, “As a creative entrepreneur, we tend to put primary focus on the creative product and put business basics on the back burner. As entrepreneurs, we need to have an ear to the ground with all aspects of the business. I would urge young entrepreneurs to learn and dig deep into aspects like financial metrics, HR, and other statutory aspects of the business. They may seem like non-core but vital for one to have a deeper understanding.”

Manish Bhatt, Founder, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, believes that embarking on a journey in design often begins with education in a design school, followed by joining a design college and pursuing courses to become a designer. This path might lead one to a designer-centric country, even to marrying a fellow designer. However, it's essential to keep the core essence of design, which is problem-solving, intact.

He encourages new entrepreneurs to focus on leveraging their expertise to address challenges where they are most needed.

He said, “They should get as real and meaningful as possible. And try to give their part of life to the places, to the geographies, to the culture, to the people who need their solution. Instead of just going in a cozy world where already everything is been solved and developed.”

Where there is business, there is also rejection and disappointment. Not all creative pitches lead to landing a client. Sometimes, there’s failure. But little wins matter too.

Chakaravarti said, “Learn to manage rejection-  it's not easy and the uncertainties will be daunting. Celebrate successes - big or small, they are entirely your own. Lastly, review the path travelled at periodic intervals and pivot if necessary.” 

At the same time, new agencies make the mistake of agreeing more than their small, growing team can deliver. 

Shastry shared a list of do’s and dont’s, which can help agencies to keep their eyes on the big goal but remember their employees’ well-being along the way:

• Learn to say ‘NO’. You will be defined by what you say NO to. We’ve sacked badly-behaved clients even when we could hardly afford to do so. 
• Don’t let rejection - and there will be many- terrify you. You are just a “Who’s s/he”  competing with a long list of  “Who’s who”
• Never chase money. Chase respect, admiration and client gratitude. Also work your a*s off. 
• Invest in culture. Be tight with your team. HR is your first responsibility. Never delegate it. 
• Be agile. Fail faster. Adapt.

If you are looking to start your own business in the creative world, it is important to remember that this journey will be filled with twists and turns, failure and success, Aha moments and creative blocks. 

In such a scenario, the roadmap set forth by these successful ad agency founders and their insights can equip budding entrepreneurs with a compass that points them toward their own unique path to success, marked by timely action, adaptability, and a blend of creativity and strategy.