Win the Work and Do the Work

If you’ve ever wondered why advertising industry veteran Jordan Brady positions True Gent as the go-to shop for comedy and dialogue, all you really need to do is spend an hour talking with him.

Or in my case, laughing with him.

I just published the funniest podcast episode I’ve ever released on Crossing the Axis, projecting the kind humor that comes from someone who’s seen a lot, survived a lot, and still enjoys the work.

Amid all the laughter, we covered a lot of ground that production company owners will find useful.

One of the big themes was why working “direct-to-brand” and bypassing agencies is not a fad, but a structural shift that’s likely here to stay. 

We landed on three main reasons:

1. The tools of production are easier to access than ever. Cameras, crews, post, workflows. Brands see how fast and flexible small teams can be, and they are building internal studios as a result. Walmart launching its studio operation in LA is one visible example of a much broader move.

   
   

2. The tools of strategy and insight have changed. Brands now have access to data, testing, and go-to-market campaign intelligence that used to live almost exclusively inside agencies. Campaigns can be launched, tested, adjusted, and learned from in public. Your Instagram feed is the new focus group, and that work can happen in-house.

3. Brands are hiring people with agency experience. The skill set didn’t disappear. It moved. People who understand how agencies work are now sitting on the client side, shaping how work gets made and who gets hired.

Also…

We dug into Jordan’s Commercial Directing Film School, which might be the most practical education model I’ve seen in this space. His first-person shadow camera approach lets directors see the job from the inside. Pitching. Treatments. Winning the work. Being on set. Talking to clients. Twelve hours of real decision making BTS, not just theory.

One piece of advice Jordan teaches directors that stuck with me is, after you get the shot, go back to video village and say, 

“I love it. I’m happy. How can we make it better?” 

Jordan explains why this statement works through shifting your client leadership dynamic with collaboration.

We also flipped the mic and talked about my “Booked Solid” bizdev video series, which you can watch for free on YouTube. 

This is where you can hear me attempt to transform Jordan’s “white-glove” sales pitch to one of performance that speaks to the struggles of the leads you’re targeting.

This was such a fun and insightful conversation. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it.