About this episode

The episode explores the unique challenges and insights of leading a small agency without a safety net, featuring Richard Morris of Whistlejacket.

What does it really take to build a successful business when there's no safety net? For leaders of small businesses and independent agencies, every decision carries weight. Every hire matters. Every client relationship counts. And the culture you create isn't something delegated to HR - it's something you live every day. In this episode of Stopgap Talks , Amanda sits down with Richard Morris , Founding Partner of Whistlejacket , to explore the realities of building and leading an independent creative agency. Having spent more than 20 years in senior leadership at global network agency DDB, followed by five years as CEO of Identica, Richard made the leap to launch Whistlejacket over a decade ago. The conversation explores what changed when the safety net disappeare, and the lessons he's learned about leadership, hiring and creating a culture where people can do their best work. Whether you're a founder, hiring manager or business leader, this episode offers practical insight into building resilient teams and creating workplaces where creativity and commercial success go hand in hand. In this episode, we discuss: Why running a small agency is fundamentally different from working in…

People in this episode

Host: Amanda

Guest: Richard Morris

Topics covered

• small agency leadership
• hiring practices
• business culture
• creativity in business
• independent agencies

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Whistlejacket, DDB, Identica

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