Today (September 7th, 2021) marks my 6th work anniversary at BAM. We’ve both grown a ton in that time. More great brands to work on. More great people to work with. More countries to work in. And more agency life lessons/reminders than I can count. Here are the top 6 that come to mind today:

1. Put people first.

If you want to move the needle, put people first. Practice empathy. Be human. When you truly care for the people you work with & the people problems you’re trying to solve, amazing happens.

2. Teamwork makes the dream work.

There’s only so much you can do alone. Talent, teamwork and chemistry wins championships. And business. Bonus tip: If your team isn’t collectively smarter than you, you’re doing it wrong.

3. Creativity is magic.

Put humbly, creatives are magicians. We make ideas appear out of thin air from a combination of insight, intuition, imagination, inspiration and life experience. To think of something no one else has thought of, or to repackage something in a new way, is nothing short of magical. And when it actually grabs attention, spawns intention, and drives action…tada!

4. Passion is power.

Talent is one thing, but passion(s) is (are) everything. We strive to bring together not only people who are passionate about what they do at work, but passionate about what they do in life. We have Makeup Artists in Client Services, Racetrack Drivers in Strategy, Trumpet Players in Tech, Woodworkers in Media, Painters in HR, Endurance Cyclists in Creative…It all makes for a diverse blend of experience that equals great work, and even greater culture. And when you have a vibe that you can legitimately feel through Zoom calls, you’ll know you’re onto something special.

5. It’s all about the journey.

Sure, it’s a high finishing off a project and putting it out into the world. But I promise you, the real thrill of it all is the journey to get there. The opportunity of a brief. The what-ifs of a brainstorm. The excitement of a presentation. The edits. The coffee. The last-minute curveballs. The crunched production timelines. The inevitable mad-dash to the finish line. The exceptional agency/client collaboration. The champagne. That’s where all the fun happens and the memories are made. They key is to enjoy the ride.

6. And finally, give a sh*t.

We covered it earlier, but you really have to care about the work, and the people it’s intended for. Respect your audience. Be curious enough to get to know them. Earn their time, attention and energy. If you build it, it doesn’t mean they will come. You have to make it awesome, and make it matter. And remember, people don’t change as quickly as technology does. Give a sh*t about what people give a sh*t about, and the rest will fall into place. It’s all about them, so show the love. It’s actually a little something we call Careiosity™, but that’s for another day. Today, we celebrate!

So, what lessons would you add to the list?

Here’s a BIG THANKS to everyone at BAM for an incredible and ongoing 6+ years, and to everyone who has given us an opportunity to help them shine.

By Jeff Abracen – VP, Creative Director