A taste of independence
Every so often in Big Network Agency life we would have to cut cost. Usually that meant redundancies, which understandably upset people.
And then someone would say something like “but can’t we just choose to make a bit less profit and keep our people?”. Which is of course a very reasonable question. But it was usually not given much consideration, and batted away with mutterings of “naive” and “that’s not how business works”.
But the real answer was “we’re not allowed to do that because even though we’re the Management Team, we’re not really in charge”. It was never a question we could consider, because Big Network Head Office (who of course report to Big Holding Company Head Office themselves) were telling us what we could and couldn’t do.
We were reminded of this today as some of our recent craig+bridget strategy and design work for Volcano Coffee Works comes into the world. Volcano is an independent coffee roastery, and as a result they can decide to do things like pay growers more for their coffee because they believe it’s the right thing to do. We developed a positioning for them around the idea that they offer you a Taste Of Independence (apologies for the pun in “taste”, but sometimes these things have to be done…).
But this post isn’t about Volcano, it’s about the value of being independent.
Since we set up craig+bridget we have learned a lot. But perhaps the single most important thing is that independence itself has a value. A quantifiable cash value. It plays out in a number of important areas, that can transform the way you work.
Who you decide to work with and for. Independents can choose who they want to be their clients. They don’t have unpleasant clients forced on them because they’re the designated local office of Big Network Agency. And they can choose to work with interesting tiny local businesses, just because they want to.
How much, or how little you charge for your services. In Big Network Agency you’re working to the rate card. What clients get charged is what your Finance Department have decided is the rate they need to charge. If you’re honest with yourself, there will have been moments where you’re just part of a team that is way too big, but because you’re there, another line can be added to the bill. Job satisfaction does not lie here. Or maybe you think your ineffable genius is worth so much more than the agency was paying you and you can charge your own clients double that sum. So go for it, you might be right.
What you decide to do all day. Want to spend your time digging into the project you find the most interesting even if it’s not the most profitable? Tough to do in Big Network Agency. Fancy having a go at creative even if it's not in your job title? Best of luck with that. Three day week? Unlimited holiday? That’s gonna be a tough negotiation. Unless you’re independent.
Where you decide to do it. Enjoy working from home? Or the cafe? Fed up of the soul sucking faceless office? Or keen to have an office? And decorate it with that beautiful furniture you saw? Well, if you’re in Big Network Agency those things are just not your decision. Having been witness to long debates about toasters and desk lamps we can assure you that designing a space that works for you is not top of their list.
Sometimes framed as a choice between Security and Insecurity, being independent can seem scary (it did for us before we did it). But we have discovered that the choice is really between Security (of a sort) and Freedom. Freedom comes with risk and uncertainty, and is definitely no guarantee of success, but it also has real value in itself.
It’s most purely expressed when you’re the boss of your own business, but working for an independent helps you access many of these benefits too. And working with an independent agency (even if they have scale) can be better for clients. Because in both cases, you are ultimately working with people who can make their own decisions, explain them to you and hear your views on them. Not all will be amazing, some will be awful, but at least you know who they are, and the person who is your boss is also The Boss.
There are lots of reasons to work for Big Corporation. You have to hustle a bit less, you get paid fairly and regularly, you have a big support network of people who are paid and obliged to help you with stuff. It’s good. We did it for decades.
But now we’re independent.
It’s better for us.
And might be for you too.