If you just want to do creative, don’t start an agency: Aalap Desai on agency entrepreneurship

New Delhi: A new wave of independent creative shops has been sweeping India’s advertising industry, with senior leaders from network agencies striking out on their own. 

While the appeal of independence is strong, Aalap Desai, CCO and Co-founder of Tgthr, has sounded a word of caution for those considering the leap.

In a candid LinkedIn post, Desai wrote that starting an agency is not just about doing “loads of great creative work” but about taking responsibility for every aspect of the business. “Since the buck stops at you, there will be even more business work to do,” he noted, adding that salaries, business pipelines, processes, and people management often take precedence over creativity.

Desai compared the early years of an agency to “raising a baby” that needs everyone’s attention. The paradox, he said, is that good creative work is also what keeps the agency running, but the founder often finds little time to devote to it.

His solution: prioritise quality over quantity. “Just make sure that the most important ones are the best. While the system is still setting up, choose your pieces in the year and make sure you pour your heart into it and make them shine. Everything else is survival.”

As the agency stabilises, Desai explained, creative output can scale. But until then, founders must train themselves to avoid frustration and accept the trade-offs.

He also drew a clear line between two career paths: “If you just want to do creative, find an agency that lets you do so. If you want to create a creative agency, please think of starting one. These are two different journeys.”

Desai’s post comes as several creative entrepreneurs are launching new ventures, many of whom, he said, share the same realisation only after starting out. His advice is both a caution and a guide for the next generation of agency founders.