No one is going to shed any pity tears for a small ad agency so overwhelmed by success that it had to figure out -- quickly -- how to scale up its business to handle an onslaught of new client work. Such has been the burden of Rockfish, after being named Small Agency of the Year by Ad Age last fall. As CEO Kenny Tomlin writes, "The next Small Agency of the Year will quickly have to figure out how to manage a significant increase of RFPs without taking too much time away from current client work. You might find yourself turning business away."
The need to manage such growing pains is something that many small agencies dream about -- a burden they'd gladly shoulder. But, it is a burden all the same. And even though Rockfish is emerging happily on the other side of its growth spurt, such expansions can easily take a turn for the worse. Corporate cultures can be destroyed, clients can be alienated, and work quality can suffer. Much like lottery winners who claim their financial windfalls ultimately ruined their lives, agencies can be the victims of their own success.
So before you go hunting for industry accolades and widespread exposure for your ad shop, ask yourself: "Am I really ready to win?"
For more insights into the challenges of modern-day ad agencies, attend the iMedia Agency Summit, May 16-19, in Austin, Texas. Request your invite today.
