Cut to the Chase with Jason Therrien, President and CEO of thundertech, an integrated marketing agency
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Cut to the Chase with Jason Therrien, President and CEO of thunder::tech, an integrated marketing agency| Ep. 9

Jason Therrien is a founder, investor, board member and civic volunteer and has started several businesses since 1997, including thunder::tech, an integrated marketing agency that accelerates brands for a connected world.

Today, thunder::tech has grown into a 50+ person integrated marketing agency servicing middle-market clients coast to coast with offices in Cleveland, Toledo, Detroit and Chicago.

They specialize in digital marketing, brand strategy, communications, web development and advertising.

His experience includes creating integrated marketing strategies for clients ranging from Simple Mills, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Life Fitness, Cedar Fair, USA Track and Field, Parker Hannifin and many more.

Some key highlights from our interview:

  • Founding the agency in ‘99 and the path there.

  • Where the name thunder::tech came from (it’s fun)

  • thunder::tech’s horizontal positioning, working across multiple verticals-how Jason and the team handle it from a business development perspective (per Jason, like an investment portfolio-had never heard it put that way before)

  • Jason’s advice to agencies considering a horizontally-focused approach.

  • We talk agency specialization and the need for intentionality.

  • thunder::tech as an “agency that is a practitioner.” What it means in practice.

  • Treating your agency like a client. (“We’re our own R&D lab-we test it on ourselves first)

  • The agency content creation process, which includes multiple individuals at the agency, including Jason.

  • How content has evolved for the agency (They’re bringing physical mail back!)

  • The frequency of content for the agency and the philosophy behind it (Agencies are their own worst critics when it comes to content.”)

  • The COPE acronym-how it’s helped the team think through their investment in content

  • Jason’s thoughts on “the giant, sociological experiment that we are all participating in at work” and the piece he wrote on LinkedIn that got some nice traction. WFH is ever evolving and Jason has some insightful thoughts.

  • Jason’s involvement in Destination Cleveland, and his alma mater John Carroll University and his whole philosophy on giving back.

  • And one piece of advice Jason would give to marketers to make their agency relationships more effective what would it be?

More about Jason: In addition to his involvement with thunder::tech, an integrated marketing agency, Therrien is a corporate board member and investor in several businesses that range from publishing to transportation. thunder::tech has been awarded a place on the Inc. Magazine 5000 list of the fastest growing companies in America four times and Therrien has also been recognized in Crain’s Cleveland Business 150 names to know in Northeast Ohio three separate times.

He has been quoted in USA Today, AdAge, Time, Crain’s and other media outlets on various marketing topics. Therrien is an active member in his community, serving on a number of boards and is a proud father of two crazy, awesome kids that he loves to travel with.

Key URLs: thunder::tech site: https://www.thundertech.com/

Jason’s LinkedIn:   / jasontherrien  

thunder::tech content https://www.thundertech.com/blog-news

Jason’s piece on WFH (great read): https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jasont…

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Cut to the Chase with Jeff Graham, Cactus-Mental Health

Cut to the Chase with Jeff Graham, Cactus-Mental Health

Jeff Graham is President & CMO of Cactus, a 33 year-old independent agency located in Denver, CO, and in this episode of the RSW/US Cut To The Chase series, he talks with Lee McKnight Jr. about mental health, verticals, agency process, and content creation.

Jeff’s 30 years in advertising includes agency and account leadership roles at Barkley, Grenadier, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Arnold, CORE and TBWA\Chiat\Day.

In part 1, Lee & Jeff talk:

  • The shared love of early metal and how that ties into an RFP (it will make sense when you see it)
  • Jeff’s background prior to Cactus, which included runs at TBWA, Arnold, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, & Barkley
  • The background on Cactus, founded in 1990
  • The Cactus vertical breakdown amongst 5 verticals: how they structure those on their site, and from a business development standpoint
  • Every agency seems to have a process: why the Cactus Belief and Behavior Design™ process stands out and reinforces everything the agency does/stands for
  • How and why Cactus said “yes”, early on, to the briefs so many agencies run away from
  • Man Therapy-what it is in relation to mental health, why Cactus created it, and what it’s meant to the agency
  • In 2022, Cactus was named one of the Drum’s best performing agencies, one of Outside Magazine’s Best places to work, and ranked in The One Club, global creative rankings. While so many firms were struggling post-pandemic with maintaining culture and teams overall, Jeff discusses how Cactus remained vital and how the entire team realized success.

In part 2, Lee & Jeff talk:

  • A piece Jeff wrote in Campaign US called “The Upside of the Great Resignation for Agencies” back in March of ’22 that absolutely still applies, including 4 pre-pandemic pitching rules.
  • The consistent theme: “Cactus exists to work with brands that help people thrive in their lives”
  • Cactus’s focus on Mental Health Awareness and the weekly series with Grit Digital Health (discussed in Ad Age)
  • The Frame of Mind series, featuring some of the industry’s top leaders in conversation with Cactus Founder & CEO Joe Conrad
  • The Cactus in-house psychologist -Jeff’s content in Ad Week, on podcasts, and appearing at conferences-how that process works and advice to agency principals on content and getting yourself out there
  • One piece of advice to marketers to make their agency relationships more effective

Key links:

Cactus site: https://www.cactusinc.com/

Jeff’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgraham/

Jeff’s Campaign piece “The Upside of the Great Resignation for Agencies” : https://www.campaignlive.com/article/…

Cactus’s Frame Of Mind Series: https://www.cactusinc.com/frame-of-mind

More about Jeff: Jeff’s account work spans some of the world’s most iconic brands—Microsoft, Volkswagen, Jack Daniel’s, Best Buy, the NFL, Gibson Guitar, Virgin Mobile, Bass Pro Shops, Indian Motorcycle, Under Armour, and Old Navy (where he served as interim CMO).

For decades, Jeff has taught university students and mentored young account professionals on the art of ‘creative account leadership’ – by creating the conditions on their accounts where bold, culture-changing creative ideas can live, the account discipline can play a crucial role in making great work possible.

Jeff is a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism and St. Louis University’s MBA program.

He’s a classic car nut, cancer survivor, proud dad to 4 amazing girls, board member of One Club Denver, and a past-president of Ad Club Colorado (AAF).

🔔 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more free content on how to help improve your new business program: https://bit.ly/2Mn0gXy

More about our business development process for agencies and PR firms here.

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Cut to the Chase with Colleen Gallagher, OnWrd & UpWrd-Associations & Nonprofits

Cut to the Chase with Colleen Gallagher, OnWrd & UpWrd-Associations & Nonprofits

Colleen Lerro Gallagher is the President and CEO of OnWrd & UpWrd Marketing and Communications.

OnWrd & UpWrd is a diverse, women-owned marketing and communications firm focused on associations, nonprofits and corporate travel.

Some key highlights from our interview:

  • What does Colleen choose to kick things off: answering an RFP or eating a bucket of hot mayonnaise on a beach?
  • Colleen talks her background and how her brand/advocacy and travel work led to starting OnWrd & UpWrd.
  • Starting the firm during COVID.
  • OnWrd & UpWrd’s point of difference (Execution makes all the difference. )
  • How The Association 100 impacts the firm and what it is. (A bi-monthly newsletter featuring interviews, videos, and posts sent to 30K associations & nonprofits professionals.)
  • How Colleen and her team take advantage of conventions and conferences post-pandemic to drive new business and thought leadership.
  • Advice Colleen would give to other principals on attending conferences today and taking advantage of them for business development.
  • Her weekly Association Insights videos and how the process works. (Tightly focused on one question association-related, each usually 2-3 minutes.)
  • Advice to PR/agency principals and new business leaders on creating and keeping up with content.
  • And one piece of advice Colleen would give to a client/marketer to make their agency relationships more effective.

More about Colleen: She uses her expertise in communications and advocacy, media relations, and video and podcast production to help clients enhance their brand as an industry thought leader.

At OnWrd & UpWrd, she works with clients to secure national and local media coverage, develop strategic communications plans and implement video and digital strategies to set them apart from the competition.

She also serves on the Washington Women in Public Relations Board of Directors and the ASAE Communications Professionals Advisory Council.

Prior to joining OnWrd & UpWrd, Colleen was a Vice President at Curley Company, a DC-based brand and advocacy PR firm.

Before that, she was the Vice President of Communications & Research for the Global Business Travel Association where she led and implemented award-winning PR campaigns, launched a broadcast studio, and provided strategic input for the overall direction of the association.

Key URLs from our interview:

Colleen’s LI profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-l…

OnWrd & UpWrd site: https://onwrdupwrd.com/

The Association 100 site: https://theassociation100.com/

Colleen’s post we discuss at the end of the interview on principles to apply for effective relationships with an agency https://theassociation100.com/2023/04…

🔔 Subscribe for more free content on how to help improve your new business program: https://bit.ly/2Mn0gXy

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Cut to the Chase with Corey Morris, President and CEO, Voltage | Ep. 5-What AI means for SEO
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Cut to the Chase with Corey Morris, President and CEO, Voltage | Ep. 5-What AI means for SEO

What AI means for SEO

In episode 5 or our agency interview series, we talk with Corey Morris, an 18-year veteran, achiever, and leader in the digital marketing. SEO, and technology industry and has become a community builder as well, finding great value in helping others succeed.

That applies to his role in leadership of Voltage, in the Kansas City community, and well beyond.

In addition to serving as President & CEO for Voltage, he has served on the global board of directors for SEMPO (now part of DAA), lead the SEMPO Cities program, founded the KC Search Conference, is a VIP contributor to Search Engine Journal, a member of Forbes Communications Council, and recipient of KCDMA marketer of the year.

About Voltage: Voltage is a digital agency partner for expanding your marketing and design capabilities.

Our team has the expertise to create award-winning strategies that change the way you do business, all the while providing a refreshing experience that makes you feel valued and confident in our services.

 

The Nerdery of SEO

Some key highlights from our interview:

  • Would you rather: answer an RFP or watch 1991’s Cool As Ice, starring Vanilla Ice, 10 times in a row?
  • The transformation from Voltage Creative, a full-service creative shop, to what they’ve become today.
  • The struggle with positioning and dropping the full-service language as the agency evolved.
  • Voltage’s point of difference?
  • The purchase of the agency, what it looked like, and the hardest part of the process.
  • Thought Leadership and how Corey got into writing for Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal.
  • Advice to agency principals or new business leaders on creating and keeping up with content –
  • What AI means for SEO (it won’t die) and what to do about it now.
  • The strangest/weirdest/oddest thing a client ever did or requested.
  • And one piece of advice to a client/marketer to make their agency relationships more effective what would it be?

Key URLs:

Corey’s LI profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymorris

Voltage site: https://voltage.digital/

Corey’s Search Engine Land article: https://searchengineland.com/future-o…

Corey’s Search Engine Journal Profile https://www.searchenginejournal.com/a…

 

🔔 Subscribe for more free content on how to help improve your new business program: https://bit.ly/2Mn0gXy

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Cut to the Chase with James Rayburn, President/CEO, charlieuniformtango | Ep. 4-Buying an agency, Punk Rock, and technical difficulties
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Cut to the Chase with James Rayburn, President/CEO, charlieuniformtango | Ep. 4-Buying an agency, Punk Rock, and technical difficulties

In episode 4 or our agency interview series, we’re with James Rayburn, President and CEO of charlieuniformtango, and we’re talking buying an agency, Punk Rock, and technical difficulties (well. we experience those, but it’s fun.)

This is Cut to the Chase, the RSW/US interview series that delivers brief, but impactful views from ad agency principals on growth strategies and the challenges that come with it in today’s weird, evolving landscape.

James Rayburn joined charlieuniformtango in 2002 as an Assistant Editor at just 22. It turned out to be the perfect way to learn the business, and in 2009, James was promoted to Editor, doing award-winning work for household-name clients like FIAT, Universal Studios and Dr Pepper.

Fast forward to 2019, and James and two of his colleagues, Joey Waldrip and Deedle LaCour, approached Tango founders, Lola Lott and Jack Waldrip, with a plan to buy the company.

In 2021, after a two-year transitional phase, the sale of the company was finalized, and James became the company’s President and CEO.

About charlieuniformtango:

For more than 25 years, charlieuniformtango has been an industry leader in film and postproduction.

The company delivers results across all mediums – from second screen to silver screen.

Its growing roster of international clients includes American Airlines, Abercrombie & Fitch, FIAT, Jeep, Lexus, McDonald’s, Dr Pepper, Ram, H.E.B., Samsung, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and Universal Orlando.

Some key highlights from our interview and buying an agency:

James actually goes with answering an RFP instead of a fork to the hand! 1:26

James talks charlieuniformtango (CUT) and how its evolved with the times 2:41

Starting at CUT at just 22 years old and making his way up the ladder 5:35

Making Filmage: The Story of DESCENDENTS/All, a feature-length documentary about the punk-rock band, The Descendents. Showcasing more than 50 interviews with legends like Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and Mark Hopkins (Blink-182), the film won rave reviews – and awards – from festivals around the world. 6:49

Buying an agency-purchasing CUT-was it always the plan? 10:10

The advice James would give to someone considering buying an agency 11:43

James talks the 2-year transitional phase before he, Joey, and Deedle purchased the agency 12:45

The odyssey begins for Lee & James where technical difficulties and a crying baby make things fun-Deedle also makes an appearance (we’ve all been there!) 13:57

James talks the best thing about our industry (advertising) 15:50

And the worst: 18:02

Thanks for being on Cut to the Chase, James!

Key URLs:

Charlieuniformtango http://charlieuniformtango.com/

James’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-ray…

Filmage: The Story of DESCENDENTS/All https://filmagemovie.com/

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Cut to the Chase with Mike Casey, President of Tigercomm | Ep. 3-Cleantech
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Cut to the Chase with Mike Casey, President of Tigercomm | Ep. 3-Cleantech

If ever there was an authority on cleantech in our industry, Mike Casey is it.

He’s intelligent, passionate and forthright, and he pulls no punches in this interview, episode 3 of Cut to the Chase, the RSW interview series..

Mike is a top U.S. innovator and strategist on cleantech marketing and communications, has presented at more than a dozen major conferences, and writes frequently on clean economy topics at ScalingClean and Renewable Energy World.

Tigercomm is America’s number one marcom and public affairs firm servicing clean economy companies, and as Tigercomm’s founder, he counsels cleantech executives, investors and philanthropists on strategies for meeting their business objectives.

Some key highlights from our interview:

-Mike dismantles the RFP process: 2:51

-Hiring a vertically positioned firm: by definition, they should know more than the client. It shouldn’t be a downside. 7:13

-The benefits that come from that vertical positioning and absolute authority in that vertical 14:13

-Mike’s advice to agency principals considering their positioning 18:11

-Content creation and how Mike consistently establishes his, and Tigercomm’s, cleantech authority 20:44

-How Mike handles posting content on LinkedIn and his rule of thumb 25:30

-Mike’s advice to marketers on a sound partnership, and his 3D rule on clients, (and how the team at Tigercomm treats and interacts with each other): avoid at all costs the dramatic, the dishonest, and the dysfunctional 30:22

Thanks for a great interview, Mike!

Key URLs:

Tigercomm site: https://www.tigercomm.us/

ScalingClean blog and podcast: https://www.tigercomm.us/insights

Mike’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecasey…

Dear RFPs, here’s 5 reasons why creative pros aren’t really into you: https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/pub…

The “3D Rule” – No Drama, No Dysfunction, No Dishonesty: bit.ly/3puy1y3

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Cut to the Chase with Kelly Callahan-Poe, President of Williams Whittle-Full-Service Ad Agency | Ep. 2
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Cut to the Chase with Kelly Callahan-Poe, President of Williams Whittle-Full Service Ad Agency | Ep. 2

This is the second episode of Cut to the Chase, featuring Kelly Callahan-Poe, President of Williams Whittle, full service ad agency in DC. 

Cut to the Chase is the RSW/US interview series that delivers brief, but impactful views from ad agency principals and business development leaders on growth strategies and the challenges that come with them in today’s weird, evolving landscape. 

Williams Whittle is a full service ad agency that works with nonprofits and forward-thinking companies dedicated to making a positive impact. 

In this episode, Kelly and Lee McKnight Jr. talk: 

  • Owls on toilets (you’ll have to listen)
  • Williams Whittle’s point of difference and how their focus informs that difference.
  • Nonprofits and the natural extensions other related verticals offer.
  • The struggle agencies have in creating thought-leadership content
  • The WW Media Club, and the Two Marketing Mom’s Podcast
  • Kelly’s advice and how she maintains a consistent flow of content for the agency

Thanks for the interview, Kelly! 

Links: Williams Whittle: https://www.williamswhittle.com 

WW Media Club: https://www.williamswhittle.com/wwmed… 

A good read can challenge, inspire and motivate you. We have some avid readers on the Williams Whittle team who are often sharing tidbits from their latest page-turner to inspire us inside and outside of the office. So, we thought we would share our favorites with you! Welcome to the WW Book Club! 

Two Marketing Mom’s Podcast: https://twomarketingmoms.com 

Marketing Moms @kellycallpoe & @veeolachk talk work + life strategy ☯️ for #marketing & #advertising professionals at twomarketingmoms.com. 

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————— 

If your agency or PR firm is struggling with new business, contact Lee McKnight Jr. at lee@rswus.com for a conversation. That’s our sole focus at RSW/US. 

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Cut to the Chase with Bill Milkereit of Poke The Bear | Ep.1 (pt.2)-Starting a New Ad Agency
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Cut to the Chase with Bill Milkereit of Poke The Bear | Ep.1 (pt.2)-Starting a New Ad Agency

Starting A New Ad Agency

Cut to the Chase is an RSW/US interview series that delivers brief, but impactful views from ad agency principals and business development leaders on growth strategies and the challenges that come with it in today’s weird, evolving landscape.

(Part 1 of Lee McKnight’s interview with Bill Milkereit can be found here.)

Brief background: In the Fall of 2020, Bill Milkereit and Todd Tucker never thought they would be starting a new ad agency.

They were group head/creative director and creative group head, respectively, at the Richards Group in Dallas, the largest independently-owned agency in the country at the time.

They created some of the county’s most well-known ad campaigns-the cows for Chick-fil-A, the resurrection of the Fruit Guys at Fruit of the Loom, “Let’s Do This” for Home Depot, and “It Just Means More” for the SEC (Southeastern Conference).

And then it happened-The Richards Group was thrown into turmoil in front of the ad world, making national news.

While Bill and Todd were not involved in that event, like so many other Richards Group employees at the time, they had a decision to make.

After decades of memorable work and honing their craft, the last thing they were thinking about was starting a new agency.

This is the topic of episode 1 of our new RSW interview series, Cut To The Chase.

Lee and Bill cover the path that lead to Poke The Bear, a bizarre client story, the challenges of pitching in today’s world, what lies ahead for their new agency, and a few pieces of key advice on starting a new agency and pitching in today’s world.

Bill’s an intelligent and funny interview, but above all he is deeply passionate about his creative work-we hope you enjoy the interview.

In this episode, Bill talks:

-Something he never expected: starting over

-What agency life was initially like post-Richards group

-Why they decided to start the agency now

-One piece of advice for anyone thinking of starting an agency

-His take on WFH from an agency perspective

-What does growth look like for PTB-how big do they want to be?

-How agency pitching has changed in the past 3-5 years

-One thing to never say in a pitch

-One piece of advice on pitching today

-And one piece of advice for marketers to make agency relationships better

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Cut to the Chase with Bill Milkereit of Poke The Bear | Ep.1 (pt.1)
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Cut to the Chase with Bill Milkereit of Poke The Bear | Ep.1 (pt.1)

Cut to the Chase is an RSW/US interview series that delivers brief, but impactful views from ad agency principals and business development leaders on growth strategies and the challenges that come with it in today’s weird, evolving landscape.

In the Fall of 2020, Bill Milkereit and Todd Tucker were group head/creative director and creative group head, respectively, at the Richards Group in Dallas, the largest independently-owned agency in the country at the time.

They created some of the county’s most well-known ad campaigns-the cows for Chick-fil-A, the resurrection of the Fruit Guys at Fruit of the Loom, “Let’s Do This” for Home Depot, and “It Just Means More” for the SEC (Southeastern Conference).

And then it happened-The Richards Group was thrown into turmoil in front of the ad world, making national news.

While Bill and Todd were not involved in that event, like so many other Richards Group employees at the time, they had a decision to make.

After decades of memorable work and honing their craft, the last thing they were thinking about was starting a new agency.

This is the topic of episode 1 of our new RSW interview series, Cut To The Chase.

As were looking for a new idea after our 100-episode run of ad agency business development series, 3 Takeaways, we wanted to bring you something different.

Every agency owner has experienced the process of starting a new agency (or taking over one) and everything that goes with it.

But many (most?) didn’t go though it in quite the same way Bill and his co-founder Todd did.

In this episode, Bill talks:
-The storied campaigns he worked on
-Working with a nudist client (yikes)
-Poke The Bear-how did they come up with the name? (It took a year)
-Poke the Bear’s ideal client
-Why they excel in fan culture
-The tough question: What is PTB’s point of difference?
-Pushing back on clients for the right reasons

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