Make quick decisions and hire talent you can’t afford, says Atomic CEO Jon Goulding
The founder isn’t one for mincing words when it comes to how he runs his agency, admitting to The Drum that if he could do it all over again, he’d be far more ruthless in his pursuit of the best people.
Atomic founder and CEO Jon Goulding
Success has hardly been a stranger to Atomic CEO Jon Goulding since he launched the London-based independent creative agency in 2012, but he tells The Drum that if he had to do it all over again, he’d “act faster and be much more ruthless about bringing in talent.”
He says: “You have to learn to trust yourself to make quicker decisions, particularly around bringing in the very best people, even if you think you can’t actually afford them. In fact, some of our best hires were those we technically couldn’t afford at the time. The business adapts to them very quickly.”
This approach of prioritizing top-tier talent has been critical to Atomic’s success, fueling the agency’s growth. From the beginning, Goulding understood that an agency’s greatest asset is its people and that growth, innovation and meeting client expectations all rely on a team that can thrive within a collaborative agency setting. “Creating an environment where people can thrive and committing to exceptional individuals – that is what makes the real difference.”
Goulding’s choice to start Atomic came after a pivotal moment in his career. As the former chief operating officer at DDB UK, he found himself at a crossroads where personal satisfaction no longer matched his professional success.
“For many people, I think it’s similar to my experience: there’s a moment in your life when everything just clicks. I was on a flight back from New York, thinking, ‘I just don’t want to be this person any more.’ I had just received a promotion, but it left me feeling quite hollow.”
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Goulding was surrounded by friends who had launched their own businesses, which was something he had previously contemplated but never pursued. “My best friend, a very successful entrepreneur, challenged me, ‘Are you going to be one of those people who talks about it for the rest of your life but never does it?’”
That was the pivotal moment for Goulding and prompted him to set up Atomic. This blend of dissatisfaction with the norm and a belief in something more significant became the driving motivation behind his agency. “Anyone who starts their own business needs to have a combination of ‘I’ve had enough of being employed’ and a strong belief in what they’re going to create. That was my experience. It came out of the blue, but it was the inspiration I needed to chase my dream.”
A solution to industry problems
Atomic officially opened its doors in 2012, fuelled by Goulding’s frustration with the agency landscape at that time. “We started Atomic because of a problem in the industry. Back then, the most successful agencies were incredibly siloed. They struggled to collaborate, which was a real issue for clients. It didn’t matter if you were a digital or traditional ad agency – the silos were frustrating clients because no one could work together effectively.”
The need for a more collaborative and integrated approach to creative work was clear and his agency aimed to break down these silos, fostering a culture where collaboration was not just encouraged but essential. “The idea was to create an agency centered around a collaborative culture that valued brilliant ideas, regardless of how they were expressed. And 12 years later, that issue hasn’t disappeared. If anything, the demand for collaboration has only increased even further.”
Since its launch, Atomic has undergone significant development. What began as an advertising and activation agency has now expanded to include a variety of disciplines, such as social media, content creation and health communications. “The range of services we offer has grown tremendously, but the core principle remains unchanged – collaboration and brilliant ideas come first.”
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Strategic acquisitions
A key factor in how Goulding has built his agency has been his keen focus on strategic acquisitions and the recruitment of top-tier talent from other respected agencies. From the outset, Goulding recognized that establishing an agency that clients such as Papa Johns, MandM, Homebase and Stansted Express would want to work with required not only innovative ideas but also seasoned leadership. Atomic has recruited senior marketers from renowned agencies such as M&C Saatchi and VCCP to support this vision.
“We’ve been incredibly fortunate to attract some of the finest talent in the industry. For instance, in the healthcare sector, we were lucky to bring on the team that founded BBH Health. They joined us to launch Atomic Matter, our healthcare division. In the creator space, we acquired a celebrity and creator talent management firm and developed a creator-driven social media agency from that foundation. We even started a performance media business from the ground up with someone who had previously built a very successful operation at M&C Saatchi.”
This method of expansion reflects Goulding’s philosophy of investing heavily in talent. “We’ve always believed that the best way to grow is to hire individuals who are even more skilled than you think you can afford. You attract the rainmakers, the people who excel at their craft, and the business will evolve around them.”
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Leadership and culture
Goulding’s ambition and drive have remained constant since he launched Atomic, but he recognizes that his leadership style has changed over time. “When I first started, I was much more autocratic. As a founder, you’re doing everything – you’re making the tea, building the slides, coming up with the ideas. It’s a hard habit to break. But over time, I’ve shifted to being much more collaborative and open. I take pride in fostering a collaborative environment. It’s not just about everyone getting along; it’s about actively encouraging diverse contributions from the best minds around you. That’s probably the biggest change for me over the years – moving from being the one who does everything to being the one who empowers a great team to achieve it.”
The agency’s culture faced a significant challenge during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period when many businesses had to rethink their strategies. “Covid was a pivotal moment for us. The pandemic and industry changes have definitely impacted how I approach building my senior management team at Atomic. We became much more risk-taking and aggressive in our hiring after the pandemic, realizing the old ways of slow, organic growth were no longer viable. We decided to over-commit on talent and bring in the very best people, even if it stretched our resources at the time. The business would grow into that talent.
“I’ve had to be more flexible and open-minded about senior talent. With the ‘juniorization’ happening at larger agencies, we’ve been able to attract experienced, senior-level people who may have previously been out of our reach. We’ve embraced their expertise and empowered them to drive growth in new areas such as healthcare and creator services.”
Goulding says Atomic came out of the pandemic stronger, with a renewed emphasis on innovation and growth. “We’ve always been somewhat cautious regarding risk, but after Covid, we decided to go all in. We borrowed money, expanded and made bold moves that have transformed our trajectory.”
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Staying independent, staying entrepreneurial
When asked about what Atomic’s future may hold, Goulding is clear: independence is vital, but it’s not the end goal. “Independence is not a status; it’s a behavior. It gives you the freedom to do things you’d never be able to do in a big network. But it’s not about just being independent for independence’s sake. It’s about using that freedom to make decisions that are in the best interest of your clients and your team.”
For Goulding, the focus is not just on maintaining independence but on fostering an entrepreneurial spirit. “There’s a big misnomer in the industry that you’re an entrepreneur just because you own an independent agency. You’re not. You’re just a small business owner. The entrepreneurial part comes when you use your independence to do something different and grow the business.”
Looking ahead, Goulding remains optimistic about Atomic’s trajectory. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that it’s all about culture. Agencies are only as strong as their culture and if your culture isn’t fit for change, you won’t succeed. Clients don’t care what you make – they just want a bloody good solution to their problems. And that’s what we’re committed to delivering.”