Strands of Genius: Agencies Are Broken, What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do, Seven Conversations To Nurture Your Relationships
Guest curated by Robin Bonn, CEO at Co:definery
This edition of Strands of Genius is guest curated by Robin Bonn, CEO at Co:definery. (Faris and Rosie will be back next week!)
:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, ROBIN BONN ::
LOCATION: Hove, UK
Hey folks, I'm Rob! I was once introduced at a conference as "Mr. Positioning". It made me blush (hey, I'm British!), but was actually a lovely compliment, given that my consultancy has helped somewhere close to 150 agencies reposition themselves over the last nearly 10 years.
I know Faris from 'the socials' (are we still calling them that?), coffee shops and video calls. The first time we met, we spoke fast and smoke came out my ears. You know that lovely feeling when you know you have more to talk about than you'll ever have time for? That.
I guess my big thing is optimism. I'm fortunate to have had two adult lives. The first was traditional - career ladder, marriage, kids, suburbs. Which was great, until it wasn't. After a messy divorce, I now find myself in another world - business owner, coach, personal development fan and married to the most inspiration person I've ever met.
With any luck, my optimism around growth and reinvention shows up in everything I do - in my friendships, as well as in my work.
On that note, if you're an agency person - here's a thought for you. Agency life can be joyful, fulfilling and lucrative. But for many, it’s become an unforgiving grind.
If you can relate to that, here's a provocation - contrary to popular opinion, the agency market isn't oversupplied, it's just under-differentiated. Believing the former makes you a hostage to fortune. Embracing the latter means you can change the world.
As recent grand unveilings have demonstrated, traditional agency "positionings" are really not working. And therein lies the opportunity...
Cheers, Rob
Genius Steals: Big thanks to the brilliant Robin Bonn for guest curating this edition of Genius Steals. Rob, your optimism, insight, and relentless curiosity are exactly what this industry needs more of. Your take on differentiation vs. oversupply is spot on—and your journey is a powerful reminder that reinvention isn’t just possible, it’s necessary.
We’re lucky to have you in this world (and in our inboxes). And we hope we get to see you IRL soon. Cheers!
:: WE ASKED ROBIN FOR HIS HOT TAKES ON DECLUTTERING TO DELIVER ::
What’s one thing in your work life right now that feels overly complicated? How could simplifying it help?
On the basis that splitting work from life, love and purpose doesn't make much sense for me, here's a simplifying idea that works across the board: don't optimise for money - optimise for joy.
What does that mean? On a practical level, as we all dash from Zoom to Zoom, seeking joyful tasks means I actively outsource, decline or delegate everything that I suck at and/or don't enjoy.
On a bigger picture basis, I never go far wrong by slowing down and feeling into what will ultimately create more joy. And as an added bonus, if something doesn't quite go to plan, it's hard to beat myself up when I was trying to generate happiness in the world.Give it a go!
:: THE LINKS ::
AGENCIES ARE BROKEN
Sorry - not a super upbeat start, but stay with me. The reality is that agency life is supposed to be fun. But for plenty of people - not least younger folk - it sucks a lot of the time. The agency business model - with its odd habits and unquestioned norms - is riddled with rose-tinted nostalgia for an age that never existed. Bloody Mad Men has a lot to answer for. The stats in this research offer a valuable reality check. Could this be the moment you decide to change? And if not, why not? (More About Advertising)
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
Ever been not sure what to do? From whether to quit your job and start a new life, right down to which kind of pasta to cook. At every level, uncertainty usually sucks. So what if you had a simple method for discerning exactly what to do, in any situation - from the life-changing to the mundane? Meet Charles Davies. His Clarity Practice helps you slow down, listen for, and then do precisely what's needed. Built on Buddhist principles - and refined through 15 years of professional coaching - it's easy to learn and relied on by an insanely eclectic collection of leaders, from environmental activists and corporate heavyweights, to religious leaders and yoga teachers. (Clarity Practice)
SEVEN CONVERSATIONS TO NUTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
Dr. Sue Johnson was a British clinical psychologist, author and couples therapist who did some brilliant work around human bonding, attachment theory and romantic relationships. She pioneered the field of EFT - emotionally focused therapy. This is her seminal 2008 book. 'Hold Me Tight'. It's a fascinating tool for building self-awareness and deepening your relationships. (Amazon)
:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::
Game :: Footsie with the wife, under the dining room table
City :: Lisbon. Or maybe Riga. Or London. Wait, New York. Gah, can I abstain?
Book :: Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller - you know those books you recommend a LOT, and EVERYONE says thanks? It's one of those.
Podcast :: The Things We Do For Love - sadly now defunct, but a treasure trove of whimsical tales
Song :: Oof, tough one - as of this second, B&A by the Beta Band (check out this live version on the YouTubes)
:: MARKET OF ONE ::
If you'd like me to owe you a pint, then do check out my book, MARKET OF ONE: How Your Agency Can Rewrite the Rules and Create a Lasting Competitive Advantage. It's out in July, but feel free to grab yourself some nifty pre-launch exclusives - including the introductory chapter.
Obviously my Mum says it's a "cracking read". But if that's not enough, Faris said: “One of the great ironies in agencies is that they sell strategic targeting and differentiation but tend to commoditize themselves by claiming to be everything for anyone. Market of One is a recipe for the modern agency that wants to stand out and grow.” Thanks Faris!
You might also enjoy Co:definery's podcast, The Immortal Life of Agencies - it's all about creating more optimism around the agency business. We've had some amazing guests, not least your friend and mine, the incomparable Faris Yakob - talking about freedom.
:: ‘TIL NEXT TIME ::
This edition was guest curated by Robin Bonn, who you can connect with via LinkedIn. Your regularly scheduled hosts, Rosie & Faris Yakob, will be back next week!
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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.
Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. Our Director of Operations is nomadic like us, our accounting team is based out of Washington, our company is registered in Tennessee, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.
Hit reply and let’s talk about how we might be able to work together :)