People often ask me what it’s like to run an agency. I usually smile and say, “it’s fun.” But the truth is, it’s stressful because we are almost entirely project based. So what does that mean? Imagine building a new business every few weeks—with the same team, the same mission, and the same overhead—but no guaranteed income past what’s directly in front of you.
It’s thrilling. It’s stressful. And it can really weigh on you. Gone are the days of revenue guarantees and retainers. As I say, you only get one chance to make a last impression.
Unlike a retainer-based model or product-based company, agencies like ours don’t start the year with guaranteed revenue. We start with a number: the cost to keep the lights on. Salaries. Benefits. Insurance. Rent. Software. Utilities. The real, human costs of running a company that employs real, talented people.
Then we chip away at that number. One project at a time.
The Economics of Creativity
When you partner with an agency like Moment, you’re not buying hours. You’re funding possibility. You’re helping a team of thinkers, makers, and doers keep doing what they do best—for you and your brand.
That means every project—big or small—isn’t just a line item on our calendar. It’s a contribution toward survival. And until we’ve covered that baseline cost, we’re effectively operating at a deficit. No matter how exciting the client or iconic the brief, that project is first and foremost a building block toward simply breaking even. Only after we cross that threshold—when we’ve earned enough to cover the cost of running the business—can we start to talk about profit, growth, reinvestment, or bonuses.
It’s a delicate balance: stay lean, stay creative, and stay brave enough to chase the work we believe in. Because for us, the work is the reward. But the economics behind it? That’s the reality we live every day.
Why This Matters to You
So why am I telling you this? Because we make moments the matter. And not just for you, our client, we make moments that matter to us.
Because every time we take on a new brief, we’re all in. Not just because we want to make beautiful work or win awards—but because that project literally helps us keep going. It pays people. It protects benefits. It allows us to say yes to the next moment. It keeps talent in-house and ideas flowing.
We don’t take work for granted, and we don’t treat projects like transactions. To us, your project is part of our foundation. It helps cover not just the creative effort, but the ecosystem behind it—the system that enables us to stay sharp, stay competitive, and show up for you at our best.
That’s why we’re so relentless about the details. Why we obsess over timelines. Why we chase excellence like it’s oxygen. Because every single project we deliver is quite literally helping us breathe.
The Long Game
We didn’t build this agency to coast. We built it to make things that move people. Things that outlive the moment. Every project is ground zero, but we know that if we deliver with consistency, heart, and honesty—our clients will come back. And they have. Some of our most rewarding relationships have been built brick by brick, project by project, one by one.
So yes, every project matters. And we’re grateful for each one. Because every time you choose to work with us, you’re choosing to invest in an agency that’s investing everything in you.
Thanks for being part of moments that matter.
Interested in building something with us? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out at luke@madebymoment.com