‘The best business lesson we learnt came from a six-year-old’
Adam Brunes and Donna Kramer have learnt a lot since launching their integrated communications agency Aruga six years ago. Perhaps the most poignant discovery came via a little kid.
A little over six years ago, we struck out on our own with a singular goal: to work with people we admire and businesses we believe in.
While this value still beats at the very heart of what we do, my gosh, we’ve seen and learnt some things along the way.
From impulse buys to asking “why”, these are the six most significant business lessons we’ve learnt in six years of agency ownership.
1. Question everything
Six-year-olds are on the money when their first response to anything is: “But why?”
History’s biggest discoveries, innovations and efficiencies come from curiosity, questioning and challenging the status quo.
This applies as much to big, showstopping campaign ideas as it does to entrenched internal processes and procedures.
Businesses and brands that want to stay at the cutting edge of both efficiency and creativity mustn’t be afraid to pull things apart completely and rebuild with fresh perspectives.
It could mean creating space for developing a campaign with unprecedented cut-through or tightening processes to eliminate unnecessary admin.
2. The grass is greener where you water it
Contrary to popular belief, the grass is not greener on the other side but rather where you water it.
This means cultivating an environment where every team member has opportunity to continually learn and grow.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that “worker mobility” – the percentage of people who change jobs – is at its highest level in more than 10 years with 9.5% of the national workforce seeking greener pastures elsewhere.
Australia sits on the cusp of its own “Great Resignation”, the US economic trend that saw large numbers of employees voluntarily resign from their jobs in 2021 and 2022.
In the first quarter of 2023, ABS figures show the number of Australian workers who quit for a new or better job rose more than four per cent to 343,200 people.
When you look at the same quarter in 2019, only 215,000 Aussies changed jobs, representing a staggering 60 per cent increase in worker mobility over four short years.
In this current war for talent, businesses and brands must remain fiercely committed to growing their own patch to retain and entice staff.
Investing in training, mentorship and skills development is critical to stimulation and success – both for the individual and the business.
3. Don’t judge a fish for its inability to climb a tree
If you ask everyone’s new favourite friend ChatGPT what fish do better than any other species, it will tell you “swimming” and “underwater respiration”.
Makes sense – fish ARE excellent underwater – but if you expect a fish to climb a tree, you’ll always be disappointed.
The same goes for people.
If you allow individuals to play to their strengths and provide support structures for them to do so, everybody wins.
One way to do this is to seek out non-traditional candidates to fill roles.
Let formal qualifications and prior experience take a back seat and instead focus on a person’s talents and abilities to assess the benefits they can bring to your business.
A 2023 report by US-based research firm Gartner found 56% of candidates applied for jobs outside their current area of expertise, a figure expected to climb in coming years.
4. People do business with people they like
Our motivation in launching Aruga mirrors that of many new business owners – to have ultimate decision-making ability over the projects we take on and critically, the people we work with.
The past six years have shown us that values alignment is not a one-way street but a multi-lane highway.
The best decisions are made when people sit at the heart of them: colleagues, clients, partners and suppliers.
LinkedIn’s May 2023 Global Talent Trends report found employees, more than ever, want strong alignment between what they value and what their employers value.
Values alignment is not an exact science, we’re guided by trust, transparency and pure gut instinct.
We often find asking “Would you have a beer with them?” generally gives you the right answer.
5. Sleeping on something always helps
This one’s easier said than done but some of the worst business decisions are those made spur-of-the-moment.
The older and wiser we get, the more we’ve come to realise that if the answer to a problem doesn’t present easily, it’s best to give it some space and return to it with a clear mind.
Forbes Coaches Council also offers pearls of wisdom sourced from its network or members, two of which we love: having a level-headed colleague on call and understanding the ‘why’ before we commit to a decision.
It just may save you* celebrating the approval of your first business credit card by purchasing $200 worth of toothpaste-tasting branded candy hearts.
*ok, it was us.
6. It’s more important to enjoy the journey than worry about the destination
Never underestimate the power of great vibes.
When you work in what a job ad describes as a “deadline-driven, fast-paced environment”, finding the joy in the everyday is absolutely essential.
A positive company atmosphere starts at the top and filters out.
Whether it’s a Friday pub lunch, a 3pm snack run, a team night at the theatre or simply taking turns as office DJ, it’s so important to make time to have a good time.
Sharing the LOLs as well as the load and channeling that Friday feeling every day is the compass that keeps a successful team on course.
Adam Brunes and Donna Kramer are co-Founders of Aruga
