Episode 37: The Power of No with Natalie Serkin

Natalie Serkin is the President & Co-Founder of Collective IQ and brings over 20 years of experience in art direction, production, and studio management to her role leading creative product and process design. Throughout her career, she has led studio and design departments at several major agencies, including restructuring 13 different agencies, before founding her own company built on the principles of honesty and integrity in client relationships.

In this episode, Natalie shares how her reputation for being "too honest" with clients - once considered a liability in the agency world - became the foundation for building Collective IQ. Her journey from creative director to agency founder challenges traditional agency models that prioritize service over results, offering a fresh perspective on how transparency and authentic relationships lead to better creative work.

We discuss the power of strategic "nos," building an agency that never compromises the work or the people, and how the marketing industry has evolved to demand more honesty and authentic partnerships. Natalie's approach to scaling a creative services business while maintaining high standards of integrity offers valuable insights for freelancers considering growth and independent professionals navigating client relationships.

Whether you're a solo creative considering scaling your business, or an independent professional looking to build stronger client partnerships, Natalie's practical wisdom about building success through honesty and expertise offers valuable insights for anyone in the creative services industry.

Learn more about Natalie at https://www.coiq.com/

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