I was seeking a global network for one very specific reason; I was never again going to lose a global opportunity because I did not have physical offices across the globe. I went looking for a global agency peer group and after interviewing the usual suspects, joined Taan. I needed a peer group which provided connections to in-market access, what I got with Taan was oh so much more.

When I realized that the best fit for my agencies was Taan, I made the decision to audit a meeting of the members during their North America meeting. What I learned during this meeting was that, unlike other peer groups I’d been associated with, these folks were truly honest, transparent about the good the bad and the ugly, and were genuinely proactive about helping to solve for any matter of issue we all face as agency owners. What I also found was that what I had to offer was indeed seen as valuable input and a deep kinship began immediately. The culture of Taan can be summed up as mutually beneficial, it’s what makes the group unique and powerful. The truly reciprocal environment, which offered perspective with insight and empathy, went a long way to building the confidence we all need to continue to get up and do this year after year.

What I learned from my time as a Taan member, and still enjoy as a “Taan Affiliate” and friend of Taan, is that among the members, there is someone who has dealt with whatever issue you are facing today. And I mean everything; from slipping value propositions and perceived lethargy among staff to infinitely more dramatic issues such as corporate espionage and inter-agency romance. There is always someone to talk to about the issues we faced and generally speaking, always someone calling on me to share my perspective on areas we were fortunate enough to excel in such as business development and exit strategies. In additional to the cultural/emotional support Taan members are eager to engage in, there is of course the business end of the equation to take into account. I have personally been involved in many business collaborations including foreign export positioning and market development for brands as well as gathering a collective of global thinkers to attack a very real macro marketing/advertising challenge. We call it Think Taan and it is truly a honor-bound consortium of global marketers/advertisers freely sharing their gifts when needed. All you have to do is call.

Above all, what I learned is that regardless of the vertical we work in, the continent we do it on or the size of our staff and clients, the core value of what we do every day knows no boundaries and is relatable. Which, in the end, is where the comfort and confidence comes in and helps many of us who were entrepreneurs and never worked for anyone else before, find our courage and inspiration to continue to learn a better way forward. Because if we are not green and growing we are ripe and rotting.