I’ve been keen to write and produce something original, considered and worthy of your time, but recently the right side of my brain has felt sluggish, like an empty void free from creativity, stifling all attempts to articulate my thoughts.
So unlike my spritely posts from the early years, which were bursting with practical value and guaranteed to help you “achieve top Google rankings with 10 simple steps”… this isn’t one of those. Sorry. In fact, aside from a few scribbled notes, I’m pretty much making it up as I go along, so please forgive the lack of coherent structure. It’s honest and from the heart. I have, however, thrown in some inspirational (if not a little crude) quotes for affect!

Firstly, how did I get here?

I’ll give you the short version. I went to school, went to college, went to uni, got a job in IT, left my job after 3 years (a blog for another day) and set off on the ‘road less travelled’ at aged 25 to build a business. My was time filled mainly with project management, digital marketing and other stuff I’ll touch on later. The business grew, the team grew, and 18 months ago I started to actually run the business, to focus on the bigger picture, to lead.
Now, almost 29 (yikes!), I’m the Managing Director of Chaptr and honoured business partner to the most talented designer I know and, by virtue, our Creative Director – Matt.
Right that’s the preamble out of the way so, now you’re sitting comfortably, let’s address the question which popped into my mind one cold Friday morning: “Why do I do this?”. And by “this” I mean, run a creative agency…

Why do I do this?

1. Freedom

“Time is more value than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” – Jim Rohn.
Hands down, from a purely selfish perspective, freedom is my oxygen and the single most valuable gift that I receive from doing what I do. Freedom from my alarm clock (although I’m up before 7am most days!), freedom from time and location constraints and most importantly the freedom to spend time with my awe-inspiring wife who, as a doctor, devotes most her time to giving others more time – more life. The ability to work on my terms means the little free time my wife has can be spent as quality time together. For me, no amount of money is a substitute for this. And being present with my free time is just as important.
My advice, leave your phone at home sometimes, stop, look around, take it all in.

2. Money

“Don’t let money run your life, let money help you run your life better.” – John Rampton
I’m a realist (whatever that means), so I know that money is a pre-requisite to the aforementioned freedom, it’s an enabler and it removes the anxiety and stress of not having any, right? Personally, I have enough money to be comfortable and I am not motivated to have vast amounts more.
As an agency, we’re flexible with our rates which we sometimes reduce for projects which spark something within us and reflect our own values, and we’ll even do pro-bono work too now and again. We don’t charge for every extra minute of work either. Commercially naïve? Quite the contrary; we believe in the value of giving and good will. This also strengthens our business relationships and supports our bid to create long and mutually rewarding working partnerships.
Everyone in our team has bills to pay and a life to live. Thus we need to make money and we need to get paid.

3. Purpose

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” – Albert Schweitzer
Recently the father of an employee shook my hand, looked me in the eye and thanked me for all I do for his son. His son earned it, but this moment filled me with pride and reminded me that what I do is so much bigger than just running a creative agency and producing great work. Our team means everything to me, and it is my sworn intention to help them thrive both personally and professionally and to live the best lives possible. My motivation and purpose comes from empowering them. Giving them a purpose.

4. Challenge

“You face challenges in your personal life and in your professional life. I continue to be relentlessly optimistic and not focus on the negative.” – Norah O’Donnell
When you start out things are very scrappy and you can’t help but get caught up in the minutiae of it all, because it’s just you. You are the salesman, the project manager, the designer, the accountant, the HR manager, the marketing manager, the bloody fire marshal (no joke). And this is just at work. You’re probably in a relationship too. But your phone is connected to everything so even when you’re not physically at work you’re still at work, responding to emails, fixing stuff – first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Every day. It feels like you’re on a bumpy road in an old banger. I’m really selling this aren’t I? Stay with me.
It’s the challenge, it’s the learning, it’s the progression, it’s the building something meaningful, it’s the sense of achievement, it’s the autonomous feeling which gives you clarity and reminds you that you’re in control and that everything you do is down to you. Nothing gets my adrenaline flowing more then knowing we have the ability to make something truly remarkable or really mess something up. It’s the unknown, the apprehension, the excitement.
Embrace the challenge.

5. Recognition

“Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.” – President Franklin D. Roosevelt
At the end of the day, seeing a completed project on our portfolio, out there in the world, making a difference to people, with our finger prints all over it – as a result of our efforts, is a big driver for the whole team. We value the appreciation of our work from our peers and clients alike. We want to make our mark.
And that concludes my philosophical outlook on what keeps me motivated and drives me to lead Chaptr.
This is why I do this.