In the simplest terms, here’s what I’m hearing: Campaigns need to launch. Sales teams need support. Events need assets. Leadership wants visibility into performance. Content calendars never stop moving. And somewhere in the middle of all that, strategic thinking starts getting squeezed out by sheer volume.

That’s often the point where companies start looking for outside support. Not due to lack of smart automations or incapable internal teams, rather because marketing in 2026 has become too broad, too specialized, and too fast-moving for most teams to handle entirely on their own.

The question isn’t really whether to bring in outside help. It’s finding the right fit.

Not too small. Not too big. Just right.

A freelancer or boutique shop gives you specialized capability, but limited bandwidth and capacity that’s conditional on their current workload.

A large ad agency gives you scale, but also layers. Account managers, multi-department processes, retainers, and a pace that doesn’t always match yours.

My team sits intentionally in between. Targa is a middle-tier group of creatives and project managers—nimble and accessible, but capable of scaling to the work. Our clients crave the transparent communication, agile turnaround, and direct access to the people actually doing the creative work. It’s a promising space, and I’m grateful that our partners allow us to sit with them at the table.

We know our skills, we know our limits, and we’re honest about both. Furthermore, I make it a point to share with marketing leaders what Targa is NOT very good at: mass media, PR, and buying lead lists. But we’re happy to point our partners to the right people.

The Real Problem Isn’t Usually Talent

Most internal marketing teams are filled with smart, experienced people. The challenge is bandwidth.

As companies grow, marketing responsibilities multiply faster than headcount. Teams that once handled a manageable scope suddenly find themselves supporting product launches, paid campaigns, events, sales enablement, social media, email marketing, web updates, reporting, and brand management all at once.

When that happens, something has to give. Usually it’s the deeper strategic work.

Creative ideas become rushed. Execution becomes reactive. Messaging gets inconsistent. Teams default to “good enough” simply because there isn’t time to refine or rethink.

Over time, marketing starts feeling fragmented instead of intentional.

That’s where the right external partner can create real value—not by replacing the internal team, but by strengthening it.

Why Businesses Need More Than an Agency: They Need a Marketing Partner

A lot of agencies position themselves as creative experts. Others focus heavily on performance metrics or technical execution.

But for most businesses, the bigger need is operational support combined with a measure of strategic thinking. They need someone who can step in quickly, understand the business context, collaborate effectively, and help move work forward without creating additional complexity.

Have you sensed a panic-button groundswell?

How do we communicate with clarity when our survival instincts kick in? How do we pay attention to the “right things?” We’re all in the middle of our “what in the world!?” stories, both professionally and personally. We all feel it stretching us thin.

As creatives, our collective passion for storytelling feels more encumbered and heavy. There’s a new urgency from our clients to help their teams regain momentum and maintain clarity.

In those rare moments of quiet recalibration, my goals are still squarely in front of me: Help marketing teams tell their authentic story by reducing the clutter. Not louder marketing, but rather marketing, uncomplicated.

Why Collaboration Matters More Than Control

One of the biggest frustrations companies have with traditional agencies is the feeling of losing visibility once a project begins.

Ideas disappear into presentations. Feedback loops become slow. Communication becomes filtered through account layers. And eventually, the relationship starts to feel transactional rather than collaborative.

I intentionally built Targa differently.

Targa’s clients stay involved throughout the process, from early concepts and rough sketches to final execution. Not because we need constant approvals, but because the best marketing work usually emerges in the collaboration.

Internal teams know the business. They understand customers, sales realities, internal politics, and market pressures in ways no outside partner fully can. A good outside partner brings strategic thinking, creative execution, and marketing expertise into that environment.

Communication becomes faster. Feedback becomes clearer. Teams stay aligned. And the final work tends to feel more authentic because it’s built together rather than handed off.

Would we be a good fit?
 
We pride ourselves in knowing our skills and our limits. If we’re a good fit, we’ll help you with your storytelling. We’re an extra set of hands, showing up when it’s all hands on deck. Let’s connect and find out →

Growing up, I trained as a concert pianist. I worked hard, practiced endlessly, and performed in state-level recitals and competitions. I’m grateful for the discipline it taught me. But truthfully I didn’t thrive as a soloist. I learned over time that I shined best as the accompanist, just outside the spotlight, helping the soloists shine on stage—and ultimately at home, at work, and everywhere in between.

I believe an accompanist does his best work when he goes unnoticed. If I begin to upstage the main characters then I become the “distraction.” I’m very comfortable in all of my roles as best supporting actor. Here’s what it means for me in marketing and leadership…

From Piano Bench to CEO Seat

I don’t need to be the soloist.

But I do want to be the one who knows the score, steadies the rhythm, and supports great ideas stepping into the spotlight.

It turns out there’s a name for this kind of leadership—one that came up in a recent audiobook I’ve been revisiting: Good to Great by Jim Collins. Jim says transformative leaders are often quiet, humble, even reluctant. They’re ambitious for the mission, not for their own acclaim.

Growing up, I trained as a concert pianist. I worked hard, practiced endlessly, and performed in state-level recitals and competitions. I’m grateful for the discipline it taught me. But truthfully I didn’t thrive as a soloist. I learned over time that I shined best as the accompanist, just outside the spotlight, helping the soloists shine on stage—and ultimately at home, at work, and everywhere in between.

I believe an accompanist does his best work when he goes unnoticed. If I begin to upstage the main characters then I become the “distraction.” I’m very comfortable in all of my roles as best supporting actor. Here’s what it means for me in marketing and leadership…

Wingmen, Sherpas, and Supporting Roles

Some of my favorite characters in fiction were seldom the protagonist. My heroes are the best supporting actors: Goose, Dr. Watson, Spock, Alfred in Batman, Baymax in Big Hero 6, and more.

They’re the ones who make it possible for the hero to win—not by stealing scenes, but by showing up fully.

We don’t always talk about leadership this way. In most business books and conference stages, we celebrate the founder, the visionary, the disruptor. But I think there’s another kind of power in playing the “best supporting actor.” Especially in today’s creative and collaborative environments.

It’s not a lesser role. It’s a different muscle. One that values:

• Steady presence over spotlight
• Precision over noise
• Helping others be their best

“My personal measuring stick? If the team is thriving and our clients are winning—and no one’s really talking about me—I’m probably doing it right.”

The Irony (and Liberation) of Humble Leadership

There’s an irony here, of course.

I still like being seen. I like affirmation—on my terms. I like knowing my contributions matter. But what I’ve found over the years is that when I lead like an accompanist, I feel more myself. More aligned. More energized.
It’s also where I see the most growth happen on my team.

Because when people know they’re supported—not micromanaged or overshadowed—they try bolder things. They take risks. They step into their own voice. And isn’t that what leadership is meant to unlock?

Sharing the Load, and the Lead

At Targa, we talk a lot about shared leadership.

We’re a small team by design, but we carry a big creative load—and no one does it alone. Whether it’s reviewing a project, shaping a new strategy, or navigating a hard conversation with a client, my role is often to create the conditions for others to lead well.

Sometimes that looks like coaching.

Sometimes it’s holding space for someone else to shine—and resisting the urge to jump in.

My personal measuring stick? If the team is thriving and our clients are winning—and no one’s really talking about me—I’m probably doing it right.

One Final Thought

There’s a deep satisfaction I’ve found in helping the people around me shine—whether it’s Heather and our kids, the talented team at Targa, our gifted clients, or the inventive vendors and partners we collaborate with. Some of the best creative breakthroughs happen when we get out of our own way and make space for others to rise. That’s when ideas take flight—and when leadership feels most meaningful to me.