Insights

A hand-drawn org chart. At the top the founder crouches over a piggy bank, feeding in coins with a worried look. Five boxes sit below - Creative, New Business, Delivery, Gross Profit and Culture - each headed by a person, except Gross Profit, which is an empty office chair.

Every function in your company has an owner. Except the one that decides whether you actually make money.

In most creative companies, gross profit has no owner. It's a residue, not a function - and closing that gap is worth more than a new client.

 A person in an agency jacket, eyes closed, sipping champagne as they walk toward a gaping sinkhole opening up in the ground ahead.

The most dangerous moment in a project is the moment you win it.

Everyone exhales when the client says yes. It's also the moment you're most exposed.