From 0 to the Fastest-Growing Start-Up in Advertising History | Natalie Graeme, Co-Founder of Uncommon
What is the key to rapid growth? When is it time to expand your team? How should you approach a global expansion? In this episode of Agency Growth Stories, Natalie Graeme, Co-Founder of Uncommon – Europe’s fastest-growing start-up in advertising history, answers these questions and more, as she shares her experience of growing Uncommon from 0 to over 200 employees, working with global brand partners – including ITV, WWF, British Airways and SiriusXM – and creating a memorable brand identity through ingenious PR strategies. Here is what we covered: 00:00:00 - Intro: Who is Natalie Graeme? 00:01:11 - Rapid Fire Question 00:06:11 - Early Days: The Formative Years of Uncommon 00:09:55 - Uncommon’s Studio Model 00:14:35 - Uncommon’s Rapid Growth & Secret to Success 00:23:40 - Uncommon’s Global Expansion &The Strategy Behind It 00:32:23 - Growing Beyond 30 People: When to Hire and How to Structure Your Team 00:44:45 - From 70 to 240 People and How Your Role as a Founder Changes Questions from the Audience: 00:52:20 - What are the Most Common Mistakes of Agency Start-ups in The Early Days? 00:53:50 - How do you Control Quality and Production during Growth in a Joint Venture? 00:54:53 - How do you Manage Client-Side Delays and Keep Things Running? 00:56:20 - How do you Balance Hiring Full-Time Vs. Freelance? 00:58:39 - How did you Secure Funds at the Start? 01:01:53 - How do you Select Clients? 01:03:33 - Do you work with Retainers or on a One-off Project Basis? 01:04:29 - What was Uncommon’s PR Strategy at the Beginning? 01:05:34 - What is the difference between your Studio Model and an Advertising Agency? 01:08:28 - How do you Get New Clients without Word of Mouth? 01:12:13 - How Important is the Agency’s Brand? Final Advice 01:15:08 - What Can You Do to Look After Yourself as a Founder? 01:16:50 - If You Could Change One Thing in the World, What Would It Be? For more leadership insights check our Design Leaders Programme: https://fla.wiki/435hkc4 Get more inspiration from us on other channels: ➤ https://www.instagram.com/futurelondonacademy ➤ https://twitter.com/FLondonAcademy ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/school/future-london-academy/