December | 2015 | From the desk of Rich Levy

I learned a lot from 2015.

I learned that falling down is easy. Getting up is hard.

I learned that great ideas will come from the most unexpected places.

I learned to accept the ‘new normal’ that surrounds me every day.

I learned that it’s OK to let go.

I learned that wearing cashmere sweaters invites people to hug you.

I learned that the little detail could save someone’s life.

I learned that the toughest conversations could lead to renewed hope.

I learned to accept help.

I learned to enjoy the moment instead of just the achievement.

I learned how to put down my phone.

I learned how to stop making goals that are impossible to reach.

I learned who my true friends are.

I learned to fingerpick my guitar.

I learned the simple enjoyment of splitting wood.

I learned that 600 miles is not too far to drive for a football game.

I learned that I don’t mind hanging curtains.

I learned that I have the greatest team in the world.

I learned that awards don’t mean everything.

I learned that giving back is more important than just giving.

I learned that no matter how hard I try, I still over react to stupid stuff.

I learned to appreciate my time on this planet – as it could be taken away in the blink of an eye.

Thank you for making this year a wonderful learning experience. Thank you for helping me get back on my feet. And thank you for being there when I needed it most. I will never forget this year. Or the lessons I learned.

Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season.

12.16.15

Recently, I asked one of our copywriters — Kristine Brown to guest write for this blog entry. I asked her to write about anything that she thought would be helpful to students graduating college and entering the workforce. These are her words. But what Kristine doesn’t mention is that since she’s joined the agency she has produced her first TV campaign, an internal promotional campaign, attended a brainstorming session in Amsterdam and created countless ideas that have helped us win new business. It seems we both chose wisely. Enjoy Kristine’s entry.

My Recruiting Advice by Kristine Brown

Being recruited is a whirlwind of confusion, anxiety, and what if. What if I pick the wrong agency? What if I hate the office? What if my boss is mean to me? What if I don’t like the accounts i’m working on? What if the agency is boring? What if!

There is no easy answer to calming the what if’s other than asking the questions you want answered, doing your own research, and trusting your gut.

My recruiting journey started out like any other recruiting story. I was primed and prepped to enter the consumer world of advertising. My teachers had trained me to write witty body copy about chapstick and window cleaners. I met with numerous recruiters who promised me big brand names paired with beer carts and ping-pong tables. Yes that sounded great, but they never spoke about the agency life, or whom I would be working for, or what I would be doing, or how I would grow. My teachers repeatedly said, “ you’re interviewing them as much as they’re interviewing you”, but I never left an interview really knowing what I was signing up for. Before I knew it those same recruiters were emailing me. Pressuring me to accept offers that just had too many what ifs attached them.

That of course changed when I met my current boss. He was my last interview I had while attending SCAD. I will never forget how he stopped my perfectly planned presentation 30 seconds in to ask me if I already had job. At the time I did, I had accepted an internship that I had been pressured into taking. And it was secretly freaking me out. Rich was the first person I interviewed with that spoke to me honestly about his agency, the expectations of the position, and the work he believed in. I could tell right away he was genuinely interested in furthering my career. And that was something very new.

I was lucky enough visit FCB Health and meet the creatives I would be working with. Meeting possible mentors and late night pitch buddies made it all very real for me. I realized I had found my niche in the most unexpected place. I quickly realized the decision I made based off of what my teachers and recruiters wanted, wasn’t what I wanted anymore.

So this is where I give you the secret I learned way to late in my recruiting process. Do what you want to do. Trust the process, ask the questions, and find the place that makes you tick. Find the agency full of passionate people that get you and want to grow with you. Because who cares if the agency is big or small, if it’s consumer or healthcare, or if it’s in Texas or New York. It’s about the people and the work they create. Make your decision based on what excites you the most. Pick the agency that makes you want to get up everyday and create work that you’re proud of. I was really afraid to make the wrong decision, but I’ve realized looking back the only wrong decision I made was not following my own path.

12.02.15