‘I need to be the MD of my health’: Industry leaders share their 2024 resolutions

Many a marketing expert has shared their predictions for 2024, but what of their own aspirations?

While there’s no shortage of self-improvement rhetoric around in the early weeks of January, one can’t help but wonder what’s on the agenda for industry leaders as they look to make the new year bigger and better than the last.

So, Mumbrella sat down with nine leaders from across the industry to learn their priorities for 2024.

From spending more time on client feedback, to being present for family, and even starting a band, there’s something for everyone – whether you’re looking for your own new year’s inspiration, or simply a little nosey.

Caroline Catterall, founder and CEO, Keep Left

Be more like my six-year old, Stella

I’ve loved spending the last two weeks with my kids, and watching how they interact with the world. This year, I’m hoping to channel my inner six-year-old more – care less, play more, not worry what people think, and have fewer inhibitions. We spend so much time at work and what we do can be stressful if we’re not having fun, so I’m keen to make 2024 year as fun a year as possible and think the rewards personally and professionally will come with this attitude.

Caroline’s daughter, Stella.

Sam Buchanan, CEO, Independant Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA)

Professional goals:

1. Education and training – the launch of our industry-first IMAA Academy last year provides indie media agencies with comprehensive education on the media sector. We rolled out four modules in the second half of 2023, with digital and news & publishing launching soon. We believe it’s important to foster the next generation entering our industry to develop a strong indie talent pool.
2. Making the industry a better place – The IMAA has several industry-leading purpose initiatives including sustainability, education, DE&I and reconciliation. We have a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), launched our Female Leaders of Tomorrow mentor programme, and have partnered with several environmental partners, with more initiatives to come. Our members firmly believe it’s our responsibility to leave our industry better – on as many levels as we can – to help attract talent and to simply ‘be better’.

Personal goals:

1. “The IMAA never stops” was our catchphrase in 2023, so this year while we have another huge year planned, I would like to achieve a better work-life balance. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential, as is being more present for my family…well, that is what my wife tells me.
2. I want to be an even better CEO for the IMAA and a strong representative and advocate for our members and demonstrate to the industry what a great indie media agency sector we have. The momentum is real. Now I just need to be able to combine that with my first personal goal!

Phoebe Netto, managing director, Pure Public Relations 

Indulging in curiosity

My agency, Pure Public Relations, works on a guaranteed results-based model and doesn’t use a traditional timesheet system, meaning we’re able to charge our clients for tangible results, rather than how many hours we spend on a task. Since we are being engaged for our expertise, ideas, solutions, and skills, we must prioritise sharpening our axes.

That’s why one of my New Year’s resolutions for both myself and my team is to carve out time to indulge in curiosity, moments of wonder, and inspiration. This might look like taking time to walk in nature, reading books, watching talks, doing brain dumps, mindfulness activities, or simply asking ourselves good questions.

Curiosity is the first step towards innovation, and the process itself matters just as much as any great ideas that we can implement from it.

Making more time for reflection, feedback and constructive reviews

A results-based model is strengthened by reflection, feedback and constructive reviews. Just as we benefit as individuals from building in regular moments to ask questions of ourselves to process, analyse, and improve, we need to do that a whole lot more in agencies. Sure, it is unbillable time, but reflection is how you make your work far more impactful, enjoyable, and strengths-based. It’s also the pathway to innovation.

So this year, we’ll be asking ourselves a set of thoughtfully curated questions regularly, and I am building more of this into my personal life as a leader too. This goes beyond our regular staff and client feedback surveys, to uncover deeper insights and ensure nothing is wasted. If you want some ideas of some questions to ask yourself or your team, take a look at Seth Godin’s latest book: The Song of Significance for ideas.

Increase the amount of unbroken sleep I get every day

Getting enough sleep is a critical and much-overlooked tool, and this year I’ll be encouraging my team to join me in increasing the amount we get each day. It’s the best way to have the fuel to work smarter, not harder.

Dan Monheit, CEO, Hardhat

1. For my Jewish community, I will continue to stand loud and proud in the face of the biggest rise in antisemitism since the 1940s.
2. For my family, I’ll be more deliberate about the time we spend together. My daughter will be riding confidently without training wheels and my son will have a proper jumpshot before March. By December, I’ll have watched an entire episode of something with my wife without falling asleep
3. For my team, there will be no senseless pressure responding to ridiculous pitch requests and an even better array of fresh breads and cakes on Thursdays.
4. For my clients, there will be more high-quality face time, deepening our relationships and tackling the big issues together.
5. For me personally, it’s another big year of learning, going extra deep on behaviour change for Challenger Brands. And at some point I’ll need to work out how to take 10 minutes off my marathon PR.

Patrick Whitnall, managing director, AiMCO (Australian Influencer Marketing Council)

Overall:

Although this time of year is summer, economically for several of us and our members will be experiencing the harshness of winter conditions. Whilst this season won’t last, I believe it is how we professionally and personally take advantage of this time, to come together to create meaningful sustainable growth.

Professional goal:

This year my professional goal for AiMCO is to exceed value for our members and to focus our energies on collaborating as a collective to ensure that the influencer industry will continue to grow and deliver best practice standards to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 2024 will see the launch of our exciting new member benefits program, continue to develop the world’s first influencer accreditation training, breakthrough events such our awards (tickets on sale for our awards night 29th February!), and think tank leadership forums with the government regulators.

Personal goal:

All change starts with being honest, and honestly, I not only need to be the MD of AiMCO, but the MD of my health. So, my goal is to focus on applying proven game plans, working with outstanding coaches and immerse myself into techniques and areas that take my energy and mindfulness on to the next level.

Jacquie Alley, chief operating officer, The Media Store

Professionally, we have ambitious growth goals for The Media Store this year. Last year saw us solidify our team, validate our great culture, extend our capabilities, move into a new office, win some new accounts, and launch our ‘media reimagined’ brand proposition into market. With these solid foundations in place, we are all hungry to find additional value-aligned clients and grow together. Delegating and coaching are two of my personal professional goals this year; important as our team grows that I prioritise leadership capability-building within our emerging talent.

Personally, it’s another big year for our family with our third son completing year 12 and hopefully our eldest two also finishing their tertiary studies (fingers crossed!). The goal for me is to seek to support them all, plan a few short family breaks to stay connected and refreshed, and remember to savour the moments as they are growing up way too fast. Wearing many hats and trying to stay present in what each day reveals, I will continue to develop my practice of valuing rest amidst taking on some new study or hobby – as those who know me, know I love a new challenge.

Karen Halligan, CEO, OzTAM

Historically I have not been big on New Year resolutions as I usually set my goals well into the future but being so new into my role at OzTAM setting goals for the New Year makes perfect sense for 2024. The focus professionally for me in 2024 is getting to know my new team as I believe nothing truly great happens individually; setting a vision for OzTAM for now and well into the future; setting up VOZ as the new currency; and lastly, ensuring that we get VOZ Streaming launched successfully in 2024. I am also very focused on connecting more closely with the agency and client community so I welcome any approaches and I will be reaching out regularly to many people across the industry- if you want to chat please get in touch!

On the personal front I am always looking at ways to keep our home life happy, just before Christmas my family got a new Cavoodle puppy. So, my current focus is getting “Mac” toilet trained and enjoying the joy of the unconditional love that a dog brings to a family – to be honest I am quite besotted with him. With my three teenage daughters I am focused on setting them up for a great year especially my eldest who goes to Uni this year so a big change is in play for her. The only selfish goal I have in mind is broadening my cooking repertoire, I love to cook but rarely have enough time so I am going to try a new recipe each fortnight – let’s see how that one goes.

Tom Frazer, managing director, Half Dome

Personal goal:

Self-Care: wanting to show up as the best possible version of myself requires focus on regular self-care. 2024 will be filled with regular running, Pilates, and maybe even a few days off the booze.

Professional goal:

Proactivity: it’s easy for an independent agency owner to get caught up in the here and now. It’s harder to look forward and plan for what the future state looks like and how to get there – but that’s what I’m looking to achieve in 2024.

Adam Hosfal, managing partner, Innocean

Professional goal:

The recalibration of Account Management in our industry.

Browsing the resolutions and annual forecast trends for the year ahead is always somewhat perplexing to me, much like ABC’s recent New Year’s coverage, I couldn’t quite tell if such a catastrophic display of entertainment was actually taking place down on the harbour, or I’d just become terribly boring and frankly, old. The latter provocation got me thinking about the challenges I faced in the year just gone in relation to the dearth of junior Account people coming up in the industry, and what can be done to attract and keep future agency leaders coming through the ranks. Too often, the remit of the account person is confused with a delivery one, someone akin to a project manager. It occurred to me that we drastically need to recalibrate and reaffirm the importance of the discipline and inspire the next generation of leaders to re-evaluate their significance within the agency and industry. As ‘Account people’ we own the responsibility to create the conditions for great work to thrive. And for the mediocre work, to simply not.

Personal goal

Start a band.

Ezechiel Ritchie, Avid Collective Commercial Director

Be more present as a family
This is a big focus for my wife and I. We have two young children (1 and 4) and want to make a conscious effort this year to be very present with them before and after work when we’re at home with them. To that extent, we’ve decided to leave our phones in a drawer when we’re back from work in the evening and try to be present together as a family for the evening routine (play, bath, dinner and bed). Which means finishing off some work and speaking with family abroad once the kids are asleep.

Maximising development and wellbeing
This has always been a key business priority and we want to double down on it in 2024 by launching and maintaining a few new initiatives.
As Avid Collective has grown rapidly over the past few years, we are working on establishing clear career progression and development plans for each employee as well as setting up individualised incentive plans to ensure all members of our team are personally considered. We are firm believers that if we give more, we will create a better culture and output. We are also keeping our flexible working arrangements to make sure all employees can save time on commuting, spend further time with family, and have more freedom to manage personal responsibilities.

Got a tip?

Kalila Welch

Kalila Welch joined the Mumbrella editorial team in November 2021. She took a brief career break in mid 2023 to complete her Masters of Journalism before returning to Mumbrella in October 2023.

topics 2024 Adam Hosfal AIMCO Avid Collective caroline catterall Dan Monheit Ezechiel Ritchie Half Dome Hardhat IMAA Innocean Jacquie Alley Karen Halligan Keep Left New Years Resolutions OzTam Patrick Whitnall Phoebe Netto Pure Public Relations Sam Buchanan The media store Tom Frazer

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