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.
On this episode, we’re talking to Renee Miller of The Miller Group. She is a rare bird among advertising agency owners. She launched her agency in Southern California in 1990 – 33 years ago. Her agency is focused on helping purpose-driven brands and those focused on outcomes, not outputs.
Renee tells us about the evolution of the advertising business through the last three decades and how gender roles in the agency world have changed. She also draws a line and tells us some typical behaviors we shouldn’t use to make our world better.
As you might expect, Renee spends a lot of time these days mentoring, so having her on the show is a real blessing, for me and I think, for all of you.
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Renee Miller attributes her success to being tenacious and persistent, often finding alternative paths to achieve goals when conventional ones are blocked. This "nimble and scrappy" approach, characterized by a refusal to give up and a relentless pursuit of solutions, has been key to her and her agency's success.
Miller emphasizes the importance of women in leadership roles, particularly agency owners, moving beyond competition to foster collaboration. She believes that by working together and being more inclusive, women can collectively create a powerful movement and achieve greater success, rather than engaging in rivalries.
Miller highlights her agency's renewed focus on purpose-driven work, particularly with nonprofits and challenger brands, aiming to leave a positive impact on the planet. This includes initiatives like helping the Salvation Army's adult rehabilitation centers, demonstrating a commitment to going beyond just advertising to address root causes and make a difference.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Miller advises against overthinking the decision to start a business. She suggests that extensive analysis often leads to more reasons not to pursue it. Instead, trusting one's instinct and simply "doing it" is crucial, as the challenges and next steps often reveal themselves along the way.
