From Immigrant to Employee to Agency Founder
This is the first of three posts from my interview with Ben Hagon, President and co-founder of Intent. Intent is Canada’s creative communications agency for non-profit organizations.
With 13 employees working remotely across Canada, Intent delivers branding, campaigns, and website design.
I first met Ben when we hired him as a designer at my agency.
But years before working with us, Ben was a new immigrant to Canada from England. He had an honors degree and a portfolio of work from the prestigious London College of Printing at the University of Arts. But, he had no practical work experience.
Why did Ben move to Canada? A Canadian girl. And that was the start of the adventure.
What if Your Portfolio is “Too Fine Art”?
Ben was starting fresh in a new country. He thought he had a strong portfolio. But when he interviewed for jobs at design studios and small agencies, he got a surprising verdict.
Very nice, but not Canadian marketing. Not applicable to the work we do. Too fine art.
It was only a bit better than having no portfolio at all. Yes, lovely work, but not for us.
Now what?
What if You’re Starting From Zero?
Ben had one goal in mind. He needed a portfolio to get a job at a good design studio or agency to start his career.
He took two approaches:
He gave himself assignments to augment his portfolio. This included package design, brochures, ads, etc., to show he could produce work relevant to Canadian industry standards.
He volunteered at a marketing agency. He forced himself on them and talked his way in to doing free work. They didn’t want this arrangement (they thought it looked like they were taking advantage), but Ben insisted and got in. He worked free and built his portfolio with real samples.
LESSON: Keep your eyes on the prize. Do whatever it takes. In Ben’s case, it was building a portfolio by creating his own projects, and working for free in a marketing agency.
Was this a good work/life balance? No, definitely not. Would he always work free? Of course not. But this situation wasn’t forever, and he got what he needed.
Some Popular Opinions Aren’t Always the Best Solutions
“Don’t work for free.”
“Don’t show spec work in your portfolio.”
“Maintain a good work/life balance.”
Ben ignored all of these to get a portfolio that would land him a job.
Guess what? It worked.
Ben was hired at a top studio where he had a chance to do great work with an excellent team.
One problem. The pay was terrible. By this time, Ben was a father. There were mouths to feed, rent to pay.
Ben continued to work freelance while at his 9–5 job. In fact, Ben freelanced on the side at all of his 9–5 jobs right up to founding his own company.
LESSON: Work/life balance is not the same for everyone. Some people need more time for themselves. When Ben wasn’t working, he dedicated his time to his family. There was very little alone time.
Quite simply, Ben and his family needed the money and that meant adding freelance work to the 9–5. There was no other choice.
Going for Prestige at a Big-Name Studio
After a few years at his first job, Ben decided it was time to upgrade. He interviewed and got into one of Toronto’s most prestigious studios.
Here was a chance to work on high-profile clients with talented people and a better salary.
It lasted six months.
Why?
The culture wasn’t the right fit for Ben. It was “old-school Toronto design”. Nothing wrong with that, but Ben was a young guy full of piss and vinegar. It just didn’t fit. He left and found another job at an agency.
LESSON: Cultural fit matters. Just like work/life balance, cultural fit is an individual choice. It’s not the same for everyone. If you’re interviewing or taking on clients, ensure you have the right cultural fit.
This is a lesson that Ben absorbed when he started his own agency. Pay attention to culture. As a boss, you set the cultural tone.
A Note on Culture: When I had my agency, Ben interviewed with us on a Friday afternoon. When he came in, we were all sitting around drinking beer. Some of us were still at our desks finishing off work, and others were in the boardroom chatting.
What did Ben take from this? Everyone from the agency principals down to the most junior designer was relaxed, laughing and joking to end the week. Ben thought this feels like my kind of place. It wasn’t about the beer. It was about everything else.
Next Post: Making the Switch From Employee to Agency Founder (with no real plan)
Whether you’re freelancing, working as an employee, or starting an agency, why not learn from someone who’s done it all? You’ll find lots of practical advice in my book, How to Start a Successful Creative Agency. It’s the essential business guide for graphic designers, copywriters, filmmakers, photographers, and programmers.
Buy the Book Here
Over 300 pages and 23 chapters, available at Amazon (Paper & Kindle), Kobo (ebook), Apple Books (ebook), and Gumroad (PDF).
The book is packed with useful information to help creatives start and grow their business.
I Love the Approach
“Purchased your book earlier today, two chapters in and I have no regrets.
Excited to read the rest over the weekend. I love the approach and honesty...”
Pascaline K, on Twitter
Want a free taste first?
Sure! Sign up below to get a free PDF of Chapter 14, Working With Clients.
This chapter covers essential areas such as Clients vs. Projects, Corporate Clients vs. Small Business Clients, How to Create an Opportunity Document, Benefits of Finding a Niche… and much more.
Questions? On Twitter, I’m @StroteBook. DMs are always open. Ask away.