So, if you’d like to know how to structure a modern agency development team, I think I could give you a brief answer to that question.
When you run a small or medium-sized agency as I do, effectiveness and efficiency are keys to maintaining multiple projects in the long run. In this article, I would also like to share how I structured my creative agency and why I didn’t change anything in the first place in the last 8 years.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
How To Structure A Modern Agency Development Team (Answered)
You need at least three people to execute any project in a creative agency setting. In terms of structure, you need 1 CEO, 1 CFO, and 1 Project Development Staff. However, if you could consider the effectiveness and efficiency of the project you’re handling, adding more people could be done to accelerate the work progress.
Focus On Effectiveness
Since I founded my company in 2014, I always believe in the effectiveness of small working groups. When you don’t have many clients, you don’t have to hire many people to do several jobs. For example, you don’t have to hire Accounting, Finance, and Tax Staff separately to do these job descriptions. One person with enough knowledge in finance could do that.
I’ve seen many overnight startups hire more people than they could afford to show their clients that they are a growing company. Until one day, they don’t have as many clients as they used to have and unfortunately have to fire their employees. So, focusing on effectiveness is something that you want to do to structure your agency.
Focus On Efficiency
If you run a creative agency and fortunately hit a project for multiple website design and development, which one would you hire first? Account Executives or Website Developers?
The answer is pretty obvious, isn’t it? You obviously hire more Website Developers to finish that project as soon as possible. Many sudden startup owners didn’t know this and simply worked with the resource they had in the first place. It’s not efficient. It’s sufficient.
When you land a job you’re incapable of doing with your current team, you don’t have to consider hiring more people to help you do the job. You can hire freelancers to accelerate your work progress. That being said, you can see this hiring process as an opportunity to find talents for your team in the future. Kill two birds with one stone.
Small/Medium Sized Creative Agency Structure
Based on my experience, this is the most effective and efficient agency structure for small/medium-sized creative agencies. In fact, this is how I structured my creative agency for years.
- CEO: 1
- CFO: 1
- CTO: 1
- Account Director: 1
- Creative Director: 1
- Account Executives: 2
- Project Development Staff: 2
This is the ideal format if you want to survive for the next 5-10 years. However, based on your situation, the number of people you need is only 3.
- CEO: 1
- CFO: 1
- Project Development Staff: 1
Feeling a bit confused? Allow me to explain it based on my experience. When you run a new creative agency, your job is to land a project for your company. The more people you have, the more you have to split your profit. It’s ineffective and inefficient in the first place.
So, here’s what I propose. Ever heard the term, Chief Everything Officer? That’s right. As the CEO of a company, you have to do almost everything in the first place when you just start your own company. As a CEO, I take part as an Account and Creative Director to liaise communications between my team and my client.
However, a CEO shouldn’t do finance tasks such as arranging for tax payments, invoicing, and others. It’s just wasting more time and resources. That’s why you need to hire 1 Chief Financial Officer. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed with the process.
Finally, you need at least one person to do the project. This would be your Project Development Team. You can hire more people based on your needs but always consider the effectiveness and efficiency of hiring more people as it could decrease your profit.
Final Thoughts
The more complex your structure, the harder it is to coordinate within your team. The ability of a small or medium-sized creative agency to adapt to the current situation relies on the principle of effectiveness and efficiency of the project you are handling.
