Episode 2. Chris Staples and Ian Grais October 16, 2019
Oct 16, 2019
auto_awesome
Chris Staples and Ian Grais, co-founders of Rethink, talk about their successful careers, work-life balance, and the problem of overworking in the advertising industry. They also discuss their experience starting their own agency, a disastrous meeting where confidential information was leaked, and their published playbook and annual founders meetings.
Rethink prioritizes work-life balance, allowing employees to have a healthy personal life while still doing great work.
Rethink's decision to stay independent allows them to prioritize their values and continue doing great work.
Deep dives
The Importance of Work-Life Balance at Rethink
Rethink, an advertising agency in its 20th year, prioritizes work-life balance, ensuring employees do not work late and have a healthy personal life. This approach, which is different from other agencies, allows Rethink to do great work while protecting their employees' lives.
The Decision to Remain Independent
Rethink has consistently rejected offers from holding companies to maintain their independence. After seeing the negative effects of selling in the industry, Rethink believes that staying independent allows them to continue doing great work and prioritize their values over monetary gains.
The Efficiency Measures at Rethink
Rethink has implemented various efficiency measures to create a better work environment. Office hours are scheduled to provide dedicated time for employees to receive feedback, freeing up their mornings for focused work. They also value boundaries by not working during vacations or after office hours, allowing for creativity and personal well-being.
Lessons from Starting Rethink Toronto
The process of starting Rethink's Toronto office was difficult due to the distance from their main location in Vancouver. They had to win the Molson Coors business to ensure the Toronto office's success. This milestone meeting marked a turning point for Rethink Toronto, enabling its growth and solidifying its presence in the advertising industry.
20 years ago the two best creatives in Canada left DDB and opened Rethink. On the next IOFA episode, Chris Staples and Ian Grais chat about why they put their phones in safes on vacation, a worst meeting ever that was so bad it made the news and what happened when their former agency’s holding company started charging for photocopies.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode