Let's talk career growth at a small agency. When you really like your crew and location but agency growth isn't on pace with what you'd like your career growth (salary and/or promotions) to be. Any...

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AD ive been there, I feel you and I hear you.... if your challenge is anything like mine was. Your not growing, because agency is not growing because agency is not winning. Two things I did when I was in that position. 1. Try to increase the SOW for the client(s) you manage 2. Try to work on new business if the agency won't (don't) give you a bonus if you win new business, ask them if you bring you your own leads if you can negotiate a bonus percentage if you get the business... if they say yes... now you know what you gotta do.... hustle, network, anything and everything to bring in a project

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...success stories in finding a way to prove greater value, create your own role, evolve the shop, or get a bump or two despite slowish growth of the agency? (FYI, sole breadwinner of family of 4, and just want to make sure I'm not plateauing, but would like to exhaust all ambitious options where I am before sadly jumping ship for more growth.)

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After five plus years of sticking it out at a small agency, believing in it, winning a couple of biz pitches and even getting some decent bonuses I sadly realized it’s not me, it’s the agency. Jumped ship and finally feel like I’m growing and have different, exciting opportunities. Old agency is still chugging along at their slow pace - and they kinda like it that way.

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Currently feeling the same. Same situation, too. What I have noticed is by starting my career at a big shop, leaving at the AD level and moving to a mid-size, the same level brought loads more responsibility that I grew into. Got laid off, went to anothe mid-size at a Director level and again, scope of my role expanded to more VP level (growth, SOW negotiations, MSA and multi discipline leadership for accounts). In short, the last 10 years have developed my skill sets, but not a title bump. Salary-wise, I've made 60k more.

I am feeling the growth but like you, feel like I may be at a plateau point. Sadly, sometimes you need to jump to get out of that rut. I look at others at my firm with the same title and I can do circles around them simply because I know more and have more diversified experience.

And yes, the 2 points above are excellent ones...just doesn't always mean "value", it becomes the expectation.

@SD1, good advice. Thanks. Already been trying that for the last couple years, except I haven't tried to negotiate a bonus based on new business. My plan was to have that discussion after bringing the next semi-large new business in, so as not to appear too salesy or presumptive before not succeeding on the next 3 or more SOWs. I've been involved in growing my accounts for several years, but the nature of client's business (they get sold, change of leadership, etc.) means they eventually lose their budget or otherwise move on despite loving us and admitting we were successful in our partnership. They are always replaced with something new, but growth is slow because it's more about replacing projects rather than adding heaps on top of existing. Will keep it up.

@D1, thanks. I also started at a big shop and it sound like I'm doing what you were where when you make that jump to the more VP level gig. My title is what it is because of the size of my current shop, not because of what I'm doing. I can relate.

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