Tommy identified as a 'next top cat'

So what piece advice did Chris, Will and Marcus offer up to an agency starting today? - "Hero every project. Only do the best on that project and then remember you’re only as good as your last project".  More from our Partners on their experiences since launching Tommy below:

Key clients: Paramount Pictures International, Universal Pictures, Google, MSN 

Q. Why did you launch your own business? 

To mould a business which mirrors the partners.  We're a straight talking bunch, who like simple communication and stripping things back to the core essentials. This simplicity manifests in everything we do. 

Q. What were the biggest challenges in getting your doors open?

Getting a front door you can call your own. We only moved into our own studio last summer.  Second was finding the time, in between fee-paying client projects, to create an agency website which represented everything Tommy stood for as an agency which in turn would help recruit great talent to our London office.

Q. Did the fact it was a recession make it tougher to get started?

We think the opposite. We are able to be super competitive on the ratecard so have worked on some fantastic projects.   Though we bring big agency experience and quality to our work we don't bring the sometimes excessive fees associated. This has helped open the doors from day one and build a successful business. 

Q. How did you go about getting your first clients?

Through relationships built on great delivery and trust from our previous agency lives.  Clients like Paul Smith and Paramount Pictures International believed in our talent from day one and we haven't looked back since. 

Q. What is your unique selling point?

For an agency in it's infancy it has to be the experience and great value without the hefty price.

Q.How would you describe the way you work with your clients?

Closely.  Being a small agency allows the three partners to work across all projects and instill our creative vision into the output of the studio.  Our clients trust our direction and I know it's a bit of a cliché but we really are an extension of most the marketing teams we work with. 

Q. What has been your proudest achievement to date?

Working for Paramount Pictures International on every film title throughout 2011.  It was a big year for the studio with blockbuster after blockbuster and seeing our advertising formats featured in over 60 countries offers you a great sense of achievement.

Q. How do you plan to develop your business in the future?

Organically. We don't want to start running before we can walk. We just want to keep delivering great work and expanding our portfolio.

Q. What do you think will be the toughest challenges facing your sector in the future?

Finding the right graduates to attract to your business. Universities like Hyper Island who produce fantastic talent are thin on the ground.

Q. If you could offer one bit of advice to an agency starting out today, what would it be?

Hero every project.  Only do the best on that project and then remember you’re only as good as your last project.  

Q. If you could bring in any business person as a non-exec director, who would it be and why?

Richard Reed founder of Innocent Drinks. He and his team have managed to create a modern successful brand built on the foundations of simplicty, honesty and integrity.  We like a bit of that.