Agency Business #43: Building a lasting independent agency, with Venables Bell & Partners’ Paul Venables
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Oct 20, 2025 Paul Venables, founder and chairman of the San Francisco creative agency Venables Bell & Partners, shares insights on maintaining agency independence and his mantra of 'doing right by people.' He discusses the importance of hiring for cultural fit and how VB&P evaluates client chemistry, even turning down business when it doesn't align. Paul highlights the agency's innovative use of AI in production and the belief that growth isn't the only goal—stability and culture matter too. Finally, he reflects on the impact of San Francisco's evolving creative scene.
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Purpose As Competitive Advantage
- Venables Bell crystallized its purpose as "doing right by people," turning honesty and client-first judgment into a competitive edge.
- Paul Venables says this clarity builds trust and frees clients from dealing with salesy agency behavior.
Hire For Intent And Fit
- Hire people whose motivations align with solving client problems rather than self-serving outputs.
- Make cultural fit and intent central to hiring and leadership conversations to institutionalize your values.
Meet Clients Before You Commit
- Meet prospective clients and judge their fire in the belly, not just budget or category history.
- Say no often to protect your people's time and avoid slogging through mismatched accounts.