What is something the industry isn’t paying attention to that they should?
The industry is so busy debating what AI means for creativity that we’re ignoring the bigger question: what does it mean for talent? Advertising is a people industry, and AI is quietly erasing the rungs of the ladder. The early roles (with the hands-on experiences that trained generations of strategists, creatives, and account leaders) are increasingly being automated by AI.
If AI is doing the work, who’s doing the learning? Where will the next generation of advertising leaders come from if they never get to sharpen their teeth on the fundamentals?
We need to stop treating this like a tech conversation and start treating it like a talent conversation. And the solution isn’t to resist AI, it’s to reinvent how we train people. That could mean new apprenticeship models, project-based rotations, or structured “thinking reps” where juniors learn to problem-solve with AI as their copilot. The industry has to start building intentional pathways to developing the next generation of strategic thinkers, not just plugging AI into workflows.
What is the very best career advice you’ve ever received?
I’ve always found the best advice is usually simple to understand but hard to practice. One of my favorites challenges me every day (literally):
Create before you consume.
We live in a world of endless scrolling and unlimited content. If you start your day by consuming, you’re stepping into other people’s ideas, opinions, and noise before you’ve given your own thinking a chance to surface.
I try to practice getting what’s in my head out first, whether that’s scribbles in a notebook, frameworks on a whiteboard, or ideas on stickies. AI can remix what’s already been created, but it can’t generate the bold new thinking that only comes from within you. The discipline is in carving out intentional time every day to create something before you start consuming. That’s where originality lives. That’s where the best, most breakthrough ideas are born.
What is the number one quality you look for in talent?
The number one quality I look for in talent is empathy.
Our entire industry is built on understanding people: what they want, what they fear, what motivates them to act. Empathy isn’t soft; it’s a competitive advantage. It drives sharper creativity, stronger client relationships, and tighter, more resilient teams.
The best leaders I’ve seen don’t just listen. They actually understand where someone is coming from. They know that people care most about how something affects them. If you can make your vision meaningful and relevant to others, and help them feel emboldened, accomplished, and capable, you’ll unlock performance at every level.
A team of empaths will always outperform a team of lone geniuses. And in advertising, that’s the edge.
