Women in Agencies: Current State of Affairs + Tips for Starting Your Own Agency

While we’ve witnessed a surge in female leadership and somewhat improved working conditions in the last few years, the question remains – is it only anecdotal, or does it reflect a broader change for the better in the industry?

We spoke with Tara Attfield-Tomes, the founder of EAST VILLAGE., an award-winning agency from Birmingham, UK. She’s also an expert on personal and employer branding and is passionate about workplace inclusion and female entrepreneurship.

While there have been some positive shifts, Tara says we’re nowhere near Barbie land. Organizations’ interest in diversity, equity, and inclusion has started to move the dial regarding job specs, roles and responsibilities, and more flexible working arrangements, even though the COVID-19 pandemic forced some of these changes.

Still, she argues that while agencies are built on agile principles and have to listen to trends to stay in business, they still are the worst offenders because they’re built on the so-called hustle culture and make it harder for women to advance if they choose to focus on having a family and are not ready to work overtime.

“The biggest challenge is how we get more agencies to rip up the rule book. The collaboration and willingness to share experiences is something that is incredible in agency land, but it does mean that every organizational structure and set of processes becomes a carbon copy of a successful agency that has gone before”, says Tara. This only exacerbates old problems, such as roles that don’t take into account caring responsibilities, salary increases that aren’t in line with their male counterparts and the organizational tasks still being expected of women.

To tackle this issue, a number of things can be done: “Founders, Boards, and leadership teams need to look at what their employees might need from the business. Would flexible hours allow for a quicker school drop-off and better (and less stressful) journey into work? Would better childcare based near the office, rather than home, make parental responsibilities less of a juggle?”

“Life is about choices, and I truly believe that no one should have that choice taken away because they want to have a family too”, says Tara.

While it’s a challenge to balance the books when someone is on maternity or paternity leave, it’s the responsibility as employers to find a way to do that – “I employed every single one of my team, because they bring something fantastic to the business, and I want them to feel like the business is there – ready and waiting – when and should they want to return. Without pressure or feeling like they can’t have the ambition they had before.”

As an example, Tara points out the case of a teammate who had three children while employed by her agency. The person in question returned on reduced hours to better suit her new lifestyle and needs, and she still received a promotion each time she came back. “We adapted her roles to suit, and she worked hard. That’s how it should be!”

But in the end, it all comes down to the individual: “Don’t let your employer push you one way or the other, but also don’t let society tell you what you should or shouldn’t want from life. I know plenty of women who are incredibly ambitious and successful, and also brilliant mothers. It’s hard, yes, but life’s hard. Don’t assume you can’t follow your dreams or that your choices are being taken away because some other woman on Instagram told you they were.”

“Do it. Plain and simple.” says Tara, adding: “Starting your own agency is both scary and exciting. It’s an empowering journey and one that I wish more women would take. The beauty of starting your own agency is that you can shape it around your own values: you don’t have to follow the status quo, you have the power to build a business that’s different – one that speaks to more people like you.”

And leave your expectations and fears at the door: “I do think that we over-complicate entrepreneurship sometimes – not every entrepreneur looks the same, and no one’s journey is like the next. Not everyone needs to be an ‘overnight success’ nor the next unicorn.”

The real beauty is that, your business can reflect who you really are, argues Tara: “Are you a mother who wants to run an agency to fit around parental duties? There will be hundreds – thousands – of women just like you too. Shape your operations – and your client base – around how you like to work. It will be a refreshing change! Do you want to specifically focus on clients who speak to you as a woman? Go for it! Your passion for what they do will shine through more than another agency, so why not take the leap?”

And you might be that spark that will trigger a wider change: “The world is changing. It’s not perfect, but business has to adapt, and I can’t think of a better way than to get more women to the top by running their own agencies”, Tara concludes.