In 2013, Katie Witkin co-founded AGW at age 25. In the last five years, she has been one of the driving forces behind the agency’s success, attracting an impressive client roster of iconic brands, including Condé Nast, HBO, Red Bull, Armani Exchange, Mother New York, and ’47.
Under Witkin’s leadership AGW has won multiple industry awards including a Platinum MarCom Award for the agency’s work with environmental incubator, Lonely Whale, a Webby and Clio for HBO projects, as well as numerous Hermes Creative Awards for work with Women & Allies, Vinyl Me, Please, and ‘47.
What's your career story?
Prior to my co-founding AGW, I had more of a traditional career trajectory with spurts of entrepreneurialism. I worked as a music marketer at both an agency and brand, but found myself tapping into side projects that allowed me more freedom to channel my creativity and strategic thinking.
I thought this was going to be my path, working in more structured environments while seeking personal gratification elsewhere until I met my business partner, Adam Gorode. Adam and I had been friends and then had the opportunity to work together on a project for the brand I was working for. During this time, we connected over a shared love of strategy, innovation, and collaboration, and naturally we began discussing new ventures and projects we could tackle outside the office.
To be totally honest, at this time, I wasn’t prepared to leave the stability of having a full-time, paying job, after all, that’s what was I was “supposed” to do. It wasn’t until after a series of events that it finally became clear why I was seeking outside work; the more traditional jobs just weren’t fulfilling enough for me. It was then I was able to think differently about my professional journey. I had proven my ability to make things happen on my own, and while I was certainly scared, I decided to take the leap with Adam and start our business.
What do you wish more people understood about your work?
There’s no one right way of doing things. Many people get stuck in the way things “should” be done, because that’s how they’ve been done in the past. But often times the biggest successes come from exploring new methods and questioning the status quo.
What are you #obsessed with right now?
I spend a lot of my time on LinkedIn. It’s an incredible resource and an engaged and responsive community. I find that it can be far more effective in directly connecting with people professionally, even more so than email.
What's a recent success story you're still smiling about?
What's the mood like at AGW?
I’d say the environment cultivated at AGW is exciting, fast-paced, honest, and fun. We work in an industry that is constantly changing, with new platforms, channels, services, and outlets to consider for our clients every week. This requires a team that embraces the ever-evolving media landscape and appreciates how the fluidity of the industry allows for more opportunity to think tactically and non-traditionally. So while there are definitely times when things can feel overwhelming, I strongly feel the team we have here is enthusiastic and eager to tackle new challenges, and it shows through open dialogue in the office, cross-department collaboration, and results.
