Advertising news outlet, Little Black Book, observes that it’s an uncertain, tricky time for agencies – and businesses more broadly – in the USA. The demands are growing, budgets are shrinking, and economic and political instability prompt caution from clients and agency leaders alike. Independent agencies may not have the vast resources to weather unfavorable times, but indie creative shops are notorious for their nimble, modern approaches, and the last few years, despite these emerging challenges, have seen a significant population in the US blossom into one of the most exciting markets on the planet.

“Our biggest challenge is lack of awareness,” says Trey Curtola, CEO and chairman at H/L. Indie shops are often overlooked in lieu of more ‘established’ companies, despite H/L’s award-winning history for tech and creativity – including a recent Effie win for data-driven marketing and having demonstrable use-cases.

With many of the H/L’s employees coming from holding company backgrounds, Trey also recognizes this as an important difference. “We feel more free to take risks, adapt to market shifts, and place more focus on instilling a strong, values-driven culture,” he says, agreeing that the freedom to ‘act more entrepreneurially’ also helps his agency build stronger, “more genuine” client relations.

Get the full story here at LBB online.