10 Things Clients Deserve From Their Agency: Lessons from Jim Simantel

Good agencies get the job done. Great ones go all in.

From day one, our founder, Jim Simantel, believed clients deserved more than deliverables. They deserved a partner: someone who listens closely, asks the hard questions and makes things happen. That belief shaped the agency he built from the ground up and remains a cornerstone in the work we do today.

Jim’s lessons are more than just a philosophy. They guide how we operate and reflect what we truly believe clients deserve from their agency partner.

1. Direct Access to the People Doing the Work

Jim believed if you create something, you should stand behind it … literally. “When I was at American Graphics,” he said, “I’d spend a week developing a concept, and then the account person would take it to the client. They didn’t know crap about the concept.”

Later in his career, he got a different opportunity. “I spent a couple of weeks turning out covers, and there were three that [my boss] really liked,” he recalled. “He said, ‘Jim, you created these, you should be able to present them to the client.'”

That experience stuck with him. It taught him that direct connection between creators and clients builds understanding, clarity and trust. When the people doing the work get to share their ideas, it’s a moment to connect, explain and create together.

If you’re assessing your current agency relationship, ask yourself:

Do I know the people actually creating my work?
Can they explain the why behind their ideas?
Are they part of the conversation or hidden behind layers?

2. A Creative Environment Built for You

Great work starts with great spaces. “What was always important to me was the aesthetics of the environment you’re asked to create in,” Jim said. “Everything I do, my house, my cars, my work, it’s done aesthetically. It’s just in my bones.”

He wanted offices that inspired the team and made clients feel welcome, because thoughtful spaces spark ideas and build trust. When he was looking for Simantel’s office, he found a building that felt perfect. It was a space that (after an extensive remodel) would support creativity, impress clients and foster collaboration.

“I found a really cool one, and I thought it’d be great for our reputation and certainly a great environment for our creatives to work,” Jim said. That building became the same one we use today, and it still reflects the values Jim built into every corner.

When you enter your agency’s space, ask yourself:

Does the space reflect creativity and care?
Do I feel energized when I walk into their space (or join their virtual room)?
Does their space make collaboration and communication feel natural?

3. An Agency That Makes You Look Good

For Jim, great agency work was about elevating the client. His first project for one of our long-standing clients did exactly that. “It made [our client] a star and made his department head very proud,” Jim said.

Jim’s philosophy was simple: an agency’s success is measured by how it helps clients succeed. That’s why even today, we strive to build moments that make clients proud, confident and ready to take the credit they deserve. Before partnering with an agency, it’s worth reflecting on how they position you for success.

If you’re assessing your agency’s intentions, ask yourself:

Does my agency’s work help me earn trust inside my organization?
Do they celebrate my wins as much as their own?
Do they anticipate ways to make me look good before I even ask?

4. Work That’s Fueled by Passion, Not Just Process

Jim didn’t fake enthusiasm. “You gotta have passion for what you’re doing,” he said. “I couldn’t even wait to get to work in the morning. That’s why I got in at 5:30.”

His energy was contagious. He believed that if you’re not fired up about the work, your clients won’t be either. Before committing to an agency, consider how their enthusiasm (or lack of it) could impact your results. The right partner should bring energy and dedication to every challenge.

When evaluating your agency’s passion, ask yourself:

Does my agency seem genuinely excited about my brand and challenges?
Do they go beyond the brief to find creative energy in the details?
Do they inspire confidence and enthusiasm in me and my team?

5. Creative That Starts With Business Reality

It’s more than looking good. The work had to make sense. Jim emphasized that from day one.

“What are they trying to do with this? Who are they trying to reach?” he’d ask. That came before design, always.

He told stories about projects where engineers “thought they knew what customers wanted.” Jim called it out. “Bullshit,” he said. Then he’d go out and talk to real customers. “They gave us a whole different idea about what they were looking for.” The strongest creative work comes from agencies that understand your business, your audience and your goals.

If you want creative that drives results, ask yourself:

Does my agency ask the right business questions before designing solutions?
Do they challenge assumptions with data, research and real insight?
Do they translate those insights into creative work that actually drives results?

6. Willingness to Push Back

Jim wasn’t afraid to disagree … respectfully. If something didn’t make sense or lacked customer insight, he spoke up. It wasn’t about ego. It was about doing it right.

He built relationships strong enough to handle honest conversations. “Clients wanted to be around us,” he said. “They wanted to hang with us.” That trust gave him the space to challenge ideas and make the work stronger.

Pushback, when done right, is a sign of partnership, not conflict. It’s what happens when your agency cares enough to dig deeper, ask questions, explore options and think alongside you.

If you value honest collaboration, ask yourself:

Does my agency challenge me with thoughtful questions?
Do I feel they’re pushing for better, not just agreeing to move faster?
Are they willing to speak up to make the work stronger, even when it’s uncomfortable?

7. A Team That Understands Your World

Jim believed understanding a client’s world went beyond the campaign brief. “You need to know where that client is coming from,” he said, “Know whether someone had six kids or one.” It might seem personal, but it shapes how people approach decisions and communication.

That same attention extends to the business itself. “We got to a point where [our client] depended on us to give them answers their own engineers couldn’t,” Jim said. A strong agency digs deep to understand both the people and the business behind the brand.

When assessing whether your agency understands you, ask yourself:

Does my agency truly “get” me and my organization?
Do they make an effort to understand my world, not just my work?
Do they translate that understanding into creative solutions that make a real impact?

8. Consistency Over Flash

Jim knew Simantel wasn’t the biggest agency, and he didn’t care. We had something even more powerful: consistency. We showed up, delivered work that made sense and followed through on every promise.

The best agencies earn trust through consistent performance and follow-through. Clients didn’t just hire Simantel for a project; they came back because they knew they could count on us to understand their business, anticipate needs and deliver results that mattered. Flash fades. Trendy gimmicks don’t last. But consistency creates partnerships that stand the test of time and encourage steady growth.

When evaluating your agency’s reliability, ask yourself:

Can I count on my agency to deliver quality every time?
Do they stay steady, even when things get tough?
Do they anticipate my needs and follow through without fail?

9. A Partner That’s in It for the Long Haul

Jim built lasting relationships by showing up, listening closely, asking questions and learning the ins and outs of each client’s world: their goals, challenges and even the quirks that make them human. “[What sets us apart] is the relationship we have with clients,” he said. “It’s a relationship that in all the other agencies I worked in never existed.”

That knowledge let him guide decisions and create work that hit the mark every time. Jim built partnerships that are still going strong in the agency today. That’s not luck. That’s a whole lot of showing up and celebrating wins together.

When analyzing your agency’s longevity, ask yourself:

Does my agency act like a true long-term partner?
Do they invest in learning my business as if it were their own?
Do they celebrate wins and support growth every step of the way?

10. An Agency That’s a True Extension of Your Team

For Jim, his coworkers and clients were his teammates. He believed that when people feel your excitement and commitment, the work stops being “just a project” and becomes a shared victory. “As soon as I felt the client picking up on my excitement, I knew I had him.” he said.

That philosophy meant rolling up sleeves, diving into the details and celebrating every win, big or small, together. The agency was part of the client’s squad, troubleshooting bumps in the road and pushing the creative farther than anyone thought possible. When you work this way, the results are owned by everyone involved.

When assessing your agency’s teamwork, ask yourself:

Does my agency feel like an extension of my team?
Do they celebrate wins with me — not just report on them?
Do they actively collaborate, push ideas further and tackle challenges alongside me?

What We Carry Forward

Jim Simantel’s lessons were human. Be real. Be passionate. Be consistent. And treat your clients like partners, not projects.

Clients deserve a partner who truly understands their world. When that happens, they get campaigns that make them look good, strategies that make sense and a team that’s with them every step of the way.

If you want a partner who treats your business like it’s their own and brings these lessons to life for your brand, let’s start a conversation.