Inc. Magazine Top 500 / A Non-Agency - The Power of One

Congratulations.....you have made the elite list of Inc. Magazine's Top 500 of the 5000 Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies.

Happiness, disbelief, gratitude and a rainbow of emotions have washed over me in 1 minute. Literally, I pinched myself and just stared out my apartment window.

Aug. 12, 2020 is a special day that will never be forgotten. I could never have imagined that in just under 5 years ( d.b.a. A Non-Agency was formed)  I would achieve one of the biggest achievements an entrepreneur might hope for. Add to this achievement the fact that I have been a one woman show.

I have been in business for 17 years and during this time we experienced Hurricane Sandy, the Housing Bubble, post 9/11 and now COVID-19. I managed to survive and thrive to my own surprise during these crisis because I did what many thought would lead me nowhere extraordinary - operated a one woman agency the only way I knew how - as a creative consultancy.

Well, perhaps not all people thought this. Certainly, I knew my clients, family and friends have always expressed their unwavering support and belief that I was a cut above. My family and I have always had an ongoing joke that my success is all about working harder than those that have the real talent. 

So, here we are. In the midst of COVID-19, I have received my first industry prestige award for the Delta Airlines CES2020 project and the International First Place Visual Design Award for Richemont - Arcadium. Now, I am being acknowledged for the years of risk taking, hard work and ability to pivot and demonstrate mental resilience. 

We made it! The "we" refers to all the talented people, clients and vast teams who have contributed to this success.

A Non-Agency is a business of love. I love creating experiences that make clients happy and my collective teams beam with pride. We love the jokes and the battle scars we share when we finish. It's true pride and dedication that gets us across the finish line during many of these projects. We love taking on firsts of its kind, difficult timelines and sometimes mind-bending budgets. There can't be any weak links.

I am not going to sugar coat it. It has been a tall order to take the risks and to build the trust of the clients who normally never hire a consultant or hire a whole team of consultants built by one lead consultant. This has traditionally only been done in finance and technology firms.

I didn't rent a big office, pretend to be super human, pursue money alone and certainly made some mistakes.But, I paid close attention to my Financial IT client who is a successful entrepreneur and close associate to this day. 

If your business is based on delivering top talent, make them the focus. Pay them well and on time and care deeply. Leadership and accountability start with you, the ONE. Clients don't want to hear excuses and your team is accountable to YOU. 

What's the A Non-Agency secret sauce?

Part 1 -  Resilience & Diversity

 "I literally learned to beat my own drum and dance to the rhythm of the world around me. "

Life is not about what happens to us, but it is about how we receive, decide and act upon the obstacles, unknowns and opportunities presented to us. I did not always know which path to take, but I learned to spend time alone and ask myself truths about my values, capabilities and hopes. Diversity is in my blood given my childhood. If you can not find your own heartbeat and trust in it, how can you share with the world or ask to be heard?

Part 2 - Love and Courage

"Why not? Unless, the answer is definitely why not!"

If you can make it NY, you can make it anywhere. I lived out of a suitcase, rented a couch and worked all hours because I learned to love my work and when to hustle when the work disappeared. 

Put your money where your mouth is. Well, I wasn't cut out to follow the herd. But, recruiters wanted to put me in a box and I wanted to flex my creative and take risks. This is how the entrepreneur in me was born. 

This is the road of courage that never fails when you feel the destiny of love for what you are and what you do. With this being said, when it doesn't work, it doesn't work. This equals = NOT WORKING. Evaluate and pivot. This is not defeat. This is learning and there is invaluable knowledge and power if you love what you do and have the courage to be true to yourself.

Part 3 - Humility & Gratitude

"If you don't value yourself, and the experiences in life, gratitude escapes you."

My first check and client was less than $500 and I was so embarrassed when I opened my business checking account. The branch manager was a lovely Asian lady who took pity on me since I had overlooked a few important paperwork items. She introduced me to my CPA and I joined AWIB with her recommendation. My CPA and my Attorney (found through AWIB) are still the same. Most importantly, she reminded me that the check was my first of many deposits in a 'piggy bank' and that one day it would be full. 

I deeply believe that every new challenge, opportunity and mistake opens a door for you to feel. When you stop feeling stage fright with every new client, request for a proposal or curve ball, you lose the connection and the passion. Humility and gratitude are almost parallel emotions. Humility is mixed with feelings of doubt and appreciation. Whilst, gratitude is the outcome of humility and appreciation.

What's Next?

I am working on how I and my team can amplify all of our talents which are diverse. With diversity is a deep understanding that we must all support resilience across our industry and peers. Likewise, we love what we do. We hope our courage never fails us as we continue to evolve into the new age of technology, virtual, AI, machine learning and a different world of consumer experiences with a great deal of humility and gratitude for all that we have accomplished to date.