I left the agency world years ago and have spent my career since helping companies, leaders, and creatives navigate exactly this transition. The collapse isn’t about talent or demand. It's about a model that couldn’t keep up with the pace, complexity, and fluidity of the work.
For anyone going through a layoff or identity shock right now, this moment isn’t an ending. It’s a redistribution of where great work gets made, and you get to decide your next shape.
Great take on it all. I was let go a couple of weeks ago but from an independent due to revenue dipping. It is both exciting and terrifying to be freelancing as a creative now with a family to help provide for and AI telling clients “slop” is good enough. I fear a lot of clients never really understood the value of creative minds or maybe they hated paying for the big fancy offices. Personally, I think the next chapter is going to give power back to the little guys, and I am all for the little guys.
100% to all of this Zoe - 13 years of working for myself has taught me that having the skills to seek out relationships and work in new ways is the safest bet you can make in work - not the big job where you depend on someone else.
I was fired almost ten years ago, between Christmas and New Year, just days before turning 50, from my dream job as a legislative advisor. The feeling you described, the loss of identity, the loss of belonging, was exactly what I went through. But I remember telling my daughter, I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m one of the first. I’ll have time to regroup. And that’s exactly what happened.
I like this a lot. Acknowledge the pain and just plain awfulness while remaining optimistic. Yes, the work still needs to get done and a lot of the work is interesting as hell. We all need to be a bit more of a Swiss Army Knife. We can't just be one thing, we need to figure out how to slot ourselves in and create/improve the process. Cheers.
I was sent this piece by a mutual connection and have to say it's brilliant. It happens to reflect my own experiences and viewpoint, but also opened my eyes to new perspectives I hadn't considered.
Emotionally and practically this is very NOW, and I will be taking this very much on board.
Zoe , you have a razor sharp pen, and a warm heart - truly inspiring , and for someone like me who’s lived through the journey and now figuring out how to move forward , this genuinely makes my brain sizzle and my heart race. Harty
Incisive, truth filled and hopeful all at the same time. I bailed from the industry 20 years ago and the kindling for the current inferno was igniting even then. You nailed it Zoe 🙌
Always admired your writing Zoe but didn't realise you were here on Substack, so much nicer than Linkedin and as an ex agency worker with 30+ years, I too feel for anyone in those network agencies, so sad but as you know, you can do anything. I look forward to searching through your posts here and I will sponsor you as I know how valuable this sort of commentary is. Thank You!
I left the agency world years ago and have spent my career since helping companies, leaders, and creatives navigate exactly this transition. The collapse isn’t about talent or demand. It's about a model that couldn’t keep up with the pace, complexity, and fluidity of the work.
For anyone going through a layoff or identity shock right now, this moment isn’t an ending. It’s a redistribution of where great work gets made, and you get to decide your next shape.
Great take on it all. I was let go a couple of weeks ago but from an independent due to revenue dipping. It is both exciting and terrifying to be freelancing as a creative now with a family to help provide for and AI telling clients “slop” is good enough. I fear a lot of clients never really understood the value of creative minds or maybe they hated paying for the big fancy offices. Personally, I think the next chapter is going to give power back to the little guys, and I am all for the little guys.
Incredibly encouraging to read and beautifully written!
100% to all of this Zoe - 13 years of working for myself has taught me that having the skills to seek out relationships and work in new ways is the safest bet you can make in work - not the big job where you depend on someone else.
I was fired almost ten years ago, between Christmas and New Year, just days before turning 50, from my dream job as a legislative advisor. The feeling you described, the loss of identity, the loss of belonging, was exactly what I went through. But I remember telling my daughter, I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m one of the first. I’ll have time to regroup. And that’s exactly what happened.
People losing their jobs now…
Incredible writing, loved it!
I like this a lot. Acknowledge the pain and just plain awfulness while remaining optimistic. Yes, the work still needs to get done and a lot of the work is interesting as hell. We all need to be a bit more of a Swiss Army Knife. We can't just be one thing, we need to figure out how to slot ourselves in and create/improve the process. Cheers.
Amen
ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT. Challenging piece, this, in the best possible way. Thanks for writing.
I was sent this piece by a mutual connection and have to say it's brilliant. It happens to reflect my own experiences and viewpoint, but also opened my eyes to new perspectives I hadn't considered.
Emotionally and practically this is very NOW, and I will be taking this very much on board.
Zoe , you have a razor sharp pen, and a warm heart - truly inspiring , and for someone like me who’s lived through the journey and now figuring out how to move forward , this genuinely makes my brain sizzle and my heart race. Harty
Spot on!
This is a great overview Zoe, really well written.
Amazing piece! So relevant…
Incisive, truth filled and hopeful all at the same time. I bailed from the industry 20 years ago and the kindling for the current inferno was igniting even then. You nailed it Zoe 🙌
Love this piece, the marshmallows especially.
Always admired your writing Zoe but didn't realise you were here on Substack, so much nicer than Linkedin and as an ex agency worker with 30+ years, I too feel for anyone in those network agencies, so sad but as you know, you can do anything. I look forward to searching through your posts here and I will sponsor you as I know how valuable this sort of commentary is. Thank You!