Andy Strote, Author of How to Start a Successful Creative Agency

Advertising Copywriter for Six Agencies

As a copywriter, I wrote for:

• Kates Advertising

• Ram Advertising

• McKim

• Ted Bates

• McCabe Neill

• Ian Roberts Advertising

At these agencies, my clients included Canon Canada, Colgate, Husqvarna, Canadian Tire, Delta Hotels, and New Brunswick Tourism. I worked mainly in TV, radio, and print.

Freelance Copywriter for Six Years

I incorporated Red Line Design as a company for my freelancing business while writing for Ian Roberts.

I had many clients, but for six years, my most important client was Ontario Hydro. I created many multi-media campaigns for their residential, commercial, and industrial clients.

At that point, I worked solo and partnered with freelance designers. With my billing peaking at about $120,000 a year, I decided it was time to form a larger agency.

Co-founder of Fireworks Creative

When I started Fireworks Creative, I looked for a co-founder. This was natural for me. As an agency copywriter, I always had an art director/designer partner.

I placed an ad in an industry publication. I got 30 responses, met with five, and chose to go forward with Simon Burn, now of SDB Creative. Simon and I both brought our freelance clients to Fireworks Creative. We were busy from day one.

Fireworks Creative was one of Canada’s first truly integrated creative agencies. We built websites for some of Canada’s leading utilities. Working with a large IT company, we created the first website where you could buy movie tickets.

We also created major campaigns for some of Canada’s most prominent financial and government clients.

In five years, we grew Fireworks Creative from two to 30 people. We were on the radar of two companies interested in buying our firm. We had offers from a global advertising network and Cognicase, a multi-national IT company. We chose to sell to Cognicase for $3 million.

Co-founder of Context Creative

Six months after being acquired, I left Fireworks.

After a summer of thinking about the next steps, I started the next agency, Context Creative, with one partner, Lionel Gadoury, and one employee.

Similar to Fireworks, we had a staff of 28 and provided integrated creative services to corporate and government clients.

After 15 years, I sold my shares to my partners. Context still prospers today.

Author: How to Start a Successful Creative Agency

Today, I work for a select group of clients, and I wrote this book.

I’ve been fortunate to work with great designers, art directors, photographers, filmmakers, animators, illustrators, and programmers.

I’ve also had the guidance of two helpful accountants—you’ll read about it in the book.

I’ve hired people, fired people, and let go of good people during a business downturn.

I’ve learned the nitty-gritty of running a business, finding the best clients, and the most practical ways to work with staff and partners.

Some of this I learned the easy way, and some the painful way.

How Will This Book Help You?

Many creatives, whether working as freelancers or in small agencies, run into problems. Often, it’s not because of their creative output but because they don’t know enough about running a business.

This book is for you if you want to improve your freelance business or start your agency.

I will help you build a solid foundation for your business. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to focus your creativity on what you love doing.

What This Book Won’t Do for You

This book will not teach you creative skills. I’m assuming that you are either learning your craft or are already delivering your services at a professional level.

What this book will do is guide you on the business side. As a business owner, you have to excel at your craft and your business.

It may not come naturally to you, but you can learn. I did, and so can you.

Useful Blog Posts

Freelancing? Create a virtual agency. Don’t go it alone.

How do you bill clients? Here are the best pricing models for creative services.

Want to grow your freelance business faster? Get some agency clients to accelerate your growth.

Are you knocking on doors of big companies, but getting nowhere? Learn how to get on Preferred Vendor Lists.

Scope creep can kill your profitability. How do you prevent scope creep and get paid what you’re worth?

What do clients value most in a freelancer? It’s not low price. Not even talent. What then?

You’re a happy freelancer (copywriter, designer, programmer). Why start an agency now? Here are 7 reasons why…

Should employees freelance? I’d say yes to employees freelancing…

You’re a senior employee. Should you stay an employee forever? Hmm…

Should you work for equity or shares? You might get asked. I did it twice. How did it turn out? (Clue: 50/50)

Before you start your own agency, get a job in someone else’s. Think of it as on-the-job training.

Read the table of contents of the book. With 23 chapters and over 200 pages of solid business advice to start your creative agency.

Is this the best time to start your creative agency? I give you 5 yes’s and 5 no’s. You decide. (Of course I think it is.)