Creativity and the Pursuit of Happiness

Cogs in a war machine. That’s often how it felt working within a large sales-driven in-house marketing department. Our almost 40-person team was fairly close-knit. We worked well together, however inflexible swim lanes, bureaucracy, typical big company politics, and layers of reviews and approvals were exhausting and often choked projects to a halt.

Personally, the pressures of inflexibility and stress drove me to experience panic attacks, anxiety, and general unhappiness that no amount of company swag could cure.

The team churned out marketing, often from aimless sales members who had no strategy or measurable goal. Similarly, creativity was often beholden to business leaders who had no creative experience. I understand that it likely happens in businesses everywhere, however, it’s difficult to accept. For me, trust is a huge component. When someone who’s hired you doesn’t put their trust in you, in their team, in me, or in our vision, it creates a sense of helplessness, resentment, and self-doubt – self-doubt is a creativity killer. 

One of the more difficult pills to swallow, in my opinion, was that marketing wasn’t valued by the very people we supported. Marketing makes things pretty. Time and again, we’d see attempts at marketing that often missed the mark or were just plain awful. I believe we were seen as a necessary evil because every company checks the marketing box, and in our instance, marketing didn’t generate profits like the sales side. In their eyes marketing was a money spender not a producer. 

Enter Incenter Marketing. 

Joining Incenter Marketing was an eye-opening, perception-changing experience. I had only ever known working for my previous company and their marketing department and capabilities. Joining an agency environment was very new and surreal to me. It’s cliche, but it was a breath of fresh air, and I instantly felt that what we did and created had value. After all, clients came to Incenter Marketing for its years of marketing, branding, and advertising expertise.

Our small creative team is agile, honest, and barrierless. I can’t count how often I’ve been asked what I want to do with my talents, and how they’ve shown an eagerness, and willingness, to accommodate those talents and my aspirations. I don’t mean to say that I wasn’t wanted or valued previously, however, I feel there’s a real connection in wanting me to succeed in what I truly want to do, and love to do. Ultimately, if I love what I’m doing, that love, and care will translate into my work and the overall work and success of the team and company.

The absence of red tape, swim lanes, and bureaucracy is freeing. The ability to have creative freedom over a multitude of businesses and business types is refreshing. Different brands, industries, and people keep the creative fresh. It resets stale canvases and reduces the tunnel vision that can occur when you’re only submerged in a singular brand for so long. (The forest through the trees effect)

Collectively, our team of six has over 100 years of marketing experience between us. We’re led by a 30-year national marketing and advertising industry veteran. With her leadership, guidance, and trust, I have the confidence to take on the world and help every one of our clients achieve their marketing, branding, and advertising goals. It’s fun to be creative and loose again and put my talents to work. I love what I’m doing now – I’m happy, and I couldn’t have landed in a better place.