More and more, clients want the personal touch of a boutique agency, combined with the scale and reach offered by the big networks. This trend has led to an ambition to grow Jellyfish into the world’s biggest boutique agency.

The idea was to be everything you would expect from a smaller agency, accountable, autonomous and flexible, while delivering scale and international reach. Here are five things I’ve learned since co-founding Jellyfish in 2005.

Find your own niche

·      I’ve experienced running a small business, which has now become a larger operation, and have combined the best of both worlds to carve out a niche.

·      It’s not essential to be like every other agency out there. Agency models should evolve so rather than trying to be a part of what’s already there, you should challenge yourself to create a new model that moves the industry forward.

Don’t try to fit the stereotype

·      A couple of years back, Jellyfish introduced a new company benefit: a 1pm finish on Fridays. Early Friday finishes aren’t new in agency land and are becoming a popular perk to the job. After only three months, the benefit had to be retracted as it simply wasn’t working for us.

The time difference between the UK and US meant that on a Friday, the UK was closing up before the US office had even started. It wasn’t ideal.

When it's lunchtime in the UK, New Yorkers are just getting started

·      Also, the benefit was having a negative impact on the agency’s company culture. Friday night get-togethers had all but become extinct as employees made the most of their early finishes to catch up on other things. It also meant that Thursday night became the new Friday night. I learned a lot from this experience.

Don’t be afraid to try things out but equally, don’t be afraid to admit it if they go wrong. More is lost from indecision than from making the wrong decision. Also, it’s ok not to fit the digital agency stereotype. Be original.

Be transparent

·      In 2009, when the agency had reached 80 members of staff, Jellyfish lost three major clients, totaling 60% of its gross profit. Where others would have made cuts, we persevered in the face of adversity and continued to invest in the company.

My unshakeable belief in both the team and the new business pipeline meant that no jobs were lost. Transparency and openness with employees encouraged the team to pull together and focus on the future. In time, the agency secured new business and continued to develop, ultimately opening more offices.

Redundancies aren't always the answer in tough times

Don’t be too prescriptive

·      In an industry that moves as quickly as ours does, it pays not to be too prescriptive. This applies to our vision as an agency. It’s important to build and share the vision with staff, clients and partners but don’t be too prescriptive about it. Over time, it will change and you need to be open to that.

·      The same goes for agency structure. Each division within Jellyfish currently has its own P&L. While this model has worked for a long time, the negatives are now beginning to outweigh the positives. If this happens, you know it’s time to move things on.

Treat vendors like partners

·      We’re all working together and so it’s important to treat your vendors like partners. The positive impact of doing this is immeasurable. After all, it’s how we like all of our clients to treat us.