This week we launched cocreatd - a venture studio that's the first of its kind in marketing and creative industries. Why? Our industry deserves better.
What we do is straightforward: we invent, incubate and invest in marketing companies. We find amazing talent with big ideas and back them with everything they need to succeed - money, support, and a platform built for growth.
I've spent 15 years in this industry, riding changes from social media to AI, and as I look forward I believe:
1 - More and more talented people will break away and do their own thing - but starting a business is tough. While tech startups have endless support, marketing entrepreneurs are often left to figure it out alone. That doesn't make sense, especially when you consider marketing touches every sector.
2 - The exodus is real - incredible talent is leaving traditional agencies in droves. Instead of watching this happen, we want to give these people a chance to build something of their own.
3 - Technology isn't just a tool - it's reshaping how we work, how we structure our teams, and how we create value. There needs to be a more radical approach to leveraging technology, if marketeers want to thrive.
4 - AI is levelling the playing field - Sam Altman said we'll see "the first solo billion-dollar company" - and he's right. Small teams can now out-compete the incumbents, who face diseconomies of scale. Size doesn't matter; talent does.
5 - Despite all the technological change, the future will always belong to the people who create it - those are our people.
We're looking for three types of partners:
1 - The incredible marketing and creative talent (in-house, agency or freelance) ready to build something of your own.
2 - The agency founders who know technology could transform their business and want to scale.
3 - The tech visionaries who see better ways for marketers to work.
What matters to us? That you're bloody great at what you do, you dream big, and you're ready to write new rules.
We're moving fast - two investments made with exceptional founders, a platform being built to help others launch, and we want to make 10 more investments before the end of 2025.
I'm blessed to do this with my partners in crime - Paul Stevens, James Lawson Baker, and Simon Whitaker - plus an amazing crew of supporters, partners, and investors, who believed in this vision from day one.
This industry has given me so much - friendships, opportunities, and lessons learned. Now it's time to give back.
Most importantly, if you know someone with a dream to start, share this with them, we're here to co-create with the next generation.
Much love... Ol x
Read more about what we're doing in the following publications: