Hi and welcome to the OWN IT podcast, where we celebrate the growing number of (women and non-binary) ad agency owners and talk about buying out of the boys’ club of advertising, one agency at a time.
Today, we’re talking to Cindy Gallop from If We Ran The World and Make Love Not Porn. As you might guess from the name of her companies, Cindy is bold, brave and a bull in the China shop. She has deep experience in the advertising business and has been ruffling the feathers of the status quo for a long time.
Cindy starts off taking swings. She says women are at a distinct disadvantage in the advertising world because white men undermine their progress. Intentionally. You may want to buckle up for this conversation. Cindy is truly amazing.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Regularly taking time to simply "do nothing" is a highly underrated method for relaxation and mental refueling, especially during weekends. This practice helps in maintaining well-being and productivity.
The advertising industry needs to move beyond being tolerated or endured (where people "hate advertising in general but love it in particular"). The goal should be to create advertising that people genuinely love and appreciate in general, for the industry to have a sustainable future.
The advertising industry is dominated by a "closed loop of white guys" who actively undermine and sabotage women's confidence, preventing them from advancing. To overcome this, women should "start their own industry" by founding their own agencies. This allows them to design businesses that align with their values and goals, creating an inclusive and empowering environment.
Women founders bring a unique and innovative perspective ("female lens") that can disrupt and revolutionize the industry. By identifying and addressing unmet needs in the market with radically new approaches, women-owned agencies can create highly desirable and profitable ventures that even large holding companies will want to acquire.
Starting an advertising agency is remarkably easy and inexpensive because the primary assets are brains and network, not significant overheads. This flexibility allows women to escape oppressive corporate environments, design their ideal work-life balance, and pursue financial independence by creating businesses that cater to their unique ambitions and market needs.
