Opinion

Why agencies need to learn the power of ‘no’

In advertising, yes has long been the default setting. Yes, to the pitch. Yes, to the client. Yes, to late nights and shrinking margins. For decades, our industry has celebrated saying yes. Too often, it delivers the wrong kind of growth. Marilla Akkermans, founder and managing director of Equality Media and Marketing, explains.

MARILLA AKKERMANS

October 9, 2025 11:45

Marilla Akkermans explains the power of saying 'no'

We’ve all been there, saying yes to keep the lights on when times were tough. We pushed through a difficult market, taking on work we might not have chosen in stronger times. Now, after seeing the hard work pay off, we can choose differently. That choice matters. It is the benefit of hard years and disciplined decisions, not luck alone.

There is an unspoken rule that the more you say yes, the more successful you are. Yes, gets you noticed. But the danger is that yes becomes a habit, not a strategy. It becomes the default even when the work does not align with who you are or what you want to build.

Recently, we turned down a project with a marquee client because it did not align with how we want to work. On paper, it looked prestigious. In practice, it drained morale and clashed with our culture. Saying no protected our team’s energy and the quality of work for aligned clients. The commercial impact was clear: performance improved, retention strengthened, and the clients who fit best got our best.

Too many agencies are in survival mode, saying yes at the expense of their people. The short-term revenue is never worth the long-term cost. Growth for growth’s sake is hollow. Good growth is sustainable, aligned, and respectful of the people who make the work possible.

Somewhere along the way, our industry started to equate growth with virtue. More clients. More staff. But more is not always better. Bigger teams do not automatically mean stronger ideas, and higher revenue does not always mean healthier business. Relentless growth can trap agencies in overextension, where every new yes comes at the cost of quality or creativity.

We need to redefine what success looks like. Too often, we use the wrong yardsticks like revenue billed, awards won, or big-name logos on your client list. None of that proves impact. The question should be simpler: are you moving the dial for the businesses you work with?

Our industry is obsessed with size, but sometimes the growth you see on the outside is just a huge shadow of a small child. Scale can look impressive yet mean very little up close. Real success is not about the number of accounts you hold; it is about the strength of the outcomes you deliver and the people who deliver them. That is the growth worth chasing, the kind that makes everyone involved better, not just bigger.

Here is the question: are agencies only worth something if they scale and sell? I hope not. Success should not be measured only by how large you become or how quickly you can exit. The best agencies are built to endure, not to flip. Our model serves small to mid-sized clients who value genuine relationships. They are tired of churn. They want partners who stay, who care, and who are invested for the long haul.

The power of no is not rejection. It is redirection. It lets agencies focus on the right opportunities and the right partnerships. If more leaders had the courage to say no, we could build an industry that holds on to its best people and delivers stronger outcomes for clients who want stability, not churn.

Next time an opportunity knocks, ask not just what you gain by saying yes, but what you risk by not saying no. That is the kind of leadership our industry needs.