We’re looking forward to introducing you to Caitlin Holt. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Caitlin, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
One recent moment that made me feel proud was going back and getting my Google Ads and my Meta Ads certifications again. The last time I did these certifications was in 2018. Although I work in both of these platforms on a daily basis, it was great to get back to the basics and learn more about things that have changed on each platform recently.
I feel like many agency owners haven’t taken the time to do this, but recommend making the effort to do it!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Caitlin Holt, and I have an extensive background in both creative and digital marketing campaigns. Some people consider me to be their marketing powerhouse!
After graduating from the Savannah College of Art and Design, I had the opportunity to gain industry experience at two world-class marketing agencies – 360i and Tinuiti. While working for these agencies, I managed million-dollar campaigns for multiple Fortune 500 companies, including Equifax and USA Today.
In 2019, I went on to create my own agency called Hitch. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work with many esteemed clients including Chevron, Romero Britto, the Museum of Ice Cream, Nicky Romero, and more.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
As a woman in business, I have come to learn that there may be some extra hurdles to overcome to be taken seriously.
When I was having dinner with a former client, he said to me “Before I really got to know you, I thought you would be really dumb.” Obviously I was taken aback, and very offended when I first heard this. When I asked him why he would think that, he said “Because you’re a blonde, and most blonde girls are really dumb.”
This moment left a lasting impression on me, and made me realize that I need to be cautious about how I may initially be perceived in business, especially by male clients.
While I know that not every male client is going to be sexist, I wanted to take extra steps to come across as professional and polished, especially when pursuing new business. Now, I make a special effort to present myself in a way to help overcome the stereotypes that people may initially have about me.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one thing to my younger self, I would say that I shouldn’t afraid to start my own business. While I was working for the other agencies, I always dreamed of owning my own agency, but I had no idea where to start or when the right time would be. The truth is – no one knows exactly where to start, and there is no such thing as the perfect timing.
Looking back on my life, I would tell myself that now is always the best time to pursue your dreams, and that the knowledge I had about marketing would be enough to take me far in life.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
Many people believe that they will get the best marketing service at big agencies with thousands of employees. This is simply not true. In fact, you get worse service based on my experience working for a large agency. This is one of the main reasons why I decided to start my own business.
At a large agency, you often get a copy/paste strategy that is applied across most of their client accounts. Also, most of the people working on your account are not willing to go above and beyond for you. They clock in from 9-5, give the bare minimum effort, and clock out. Also, you may not get much time allocated to your account, especially if you are a small business. Larger clients are often prioritized. Finally, large agencies almost always lock you into a 6 month- 1 year contract, preventing you from finding a different agency partner if their strategy isn’t working out.
At Hitch Agency, we do things differently. We go above and beyond for every account that we service, and we don’t lock you into a long-term contract. We also ensure that a dedicated amount of time is given to your account every day, no matter how big or small the project is.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I retired tomorrow, I think most of my customers would miss me a lot! I have had clients leave temporarily to find another agency, but they almost always come back! They often don’t realize that the grass isn’t greener on the other side of the fence.
Most of all, I think my clients would miss my unwavering dedication and responsiveness. I am always lightning-quick to respond to their requests, no matter if it is a weekend, holiday, or after work hours. Also, I am willing to test out almost anything, even if it is unconventional, to drive results for my clients. I don’t think many people have the level of dedication that I have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hitch-agency.com/
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/hitchagency
Image Credits
Hitch Agency
