if you need a big idea, hire a small agency.

Breakthrough ideas aren’t born in spreadsheets, they’re built in collaboration, creative tension, and sharp strategy. Holding companies sell infrastructure, not ideas. Independent agencies like Spool focus on solving specific business problems with the right creative thinking, not selling scale.

The best talent didn’t disappear, they went independent. Small agencies are now led by the people big agencies once deemed expendable, and they’re doing the work that actually gets noticed. Our clients don’t want lawyers; they want real partners who are in it with them. Our wins are shared, our work is personal, and that’s exactly where the industry is headed.

As M.T. Fletcher points out in this Ad Age article, holding companies are in the distribution business, not the creative business. We do it differently: senior talent at the table, shoulder-to-shoulder with clients, turning bold ideas into measurable growth.

You don’t need bigger—you need better. If you’re a bold brand ready to move fast, think deep, and spark something bigger, let’s talk.