Returning to Agency Life

By Jennifer Golbus, Senior Account Supervisor
I recently joined the world-class team at Landis Communications, Inc. after running my own boutique agency, running my own consultancy and working in-house at two companies. As I reflect on my career, I’m reminded of the many benefits of agency life.
Resources and Experience
I remember the hours spent creating everything for the first time when I co-founded my own agency years ago. When I worked in-house, there really were no resources to speak of – not even budget to carry out new ideas when I had them! By being part of a well-established agency – one that has systems in place and years of successful media campaigns – I can draw on the collective experience of the firm to do stellar work for clients without re-inventing the wheel.
Breadth of Experience
Running a consultancy has many benefits including setting my own hours and working from home. However, I noticed that because I became an expert in a certain field, I started feeling pigeon holed. Working at an agency allows me to expand my breadth of client experience. This is great for two reasons: 1) It’s a lot of fun to learn new spaces and 2) I’m expanding my career and my areas of expertise. With a great team, there’s really no downside. Which brings me to my next point:
Working with a Team
When I ran my agency with my business partner, we would often remark that we never could have done it on our own. For us, having someone to brainstorm creative ideas with was invaluable. It was also critically important that we proof each others’ writing. Working in-house and as a consultant, I was a solo team, which meant not only did I have to do my own proof-reading, I didn’t have another person to discuss ideas with and get those creative juices flowing. I’ve also found that although everyone has those “bad days” when they’re not functioning at our best, we tended to take turns having those days.
Mentorship
When I first started my PR journey, I found a mentor who believed in me and gave a lot of leeway while also offering guidance and critique.  This combination helped me to quickly accelerate my career. I’m already learning so much from the pros here at Landis and I find I can learn something valuable from everyone: from those at the top to those starting out and everyone in between! If we learn to stay humble and open-minded, I find the ability to learn from others is always a gift.
Camaraderie
I can’t overlook this obvious benefit of agency life. Social interaction with like-minded people is like a breath of fresh air after working solo from my home office for so long. A special bond is quickly formed with colleagues when you’re all working hard together toward a common goal. Working with and for good people makes the days enjoyable, which is important for those of us who have chosen this deadline-driven, fast-paced career.
Have you recently transitioned back into a larger work environment after having been operating solo? I’d love to hear your recommendations for making the process a smooth one. Please email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.