When was the company founded and how did it get started?: Doug and Elaine Lunne founded LMG in 2004 after many years in leadership roles in agency and corporate marketing settings. On both sides, they found it relatively easy to find vendors that were strong in either strategy or creative work, but integrating the two was always a challenge. They saw a real need in the marketplace for a firm that could deliver amazing creative work rooted in sound strategy in order to deliver real business impact.
How many employees? We have 22 employees, mostly full-time staffers plus a handful of dedicated freelancers.
How has the company grown? For the first few years, LMG grew steadily while strategically adding team members to accommodate a growing client base. In the past 3-4 years, we have accelerated that growth with revenue and staffing doubling. This growth has largely been organic, with excellent work leading to additional projects and referrals. In addition to serving clients throughout the Dayton region, we support clients nationwide, including organizations based in Chicago, Nashville, Austin, and Atlanta.
Describe your job: I work with a number of businesses, most based in the Dayton area. We discuss their marketing and business goals, develop a strategy to achieve them, and then define a plan to execute via a variety of tactics. On a given day, I may collaborate with our designers to deliver print collateral, work with our digital team to create a website or app, oversee market research and brand development, manage a video shoot, or assist with a client event like a trade show. My focus is on understanding my clients' needs and goals and making sure that anything we do on their behalf serves those ends.
What's unique about your workspace?: Our office really reflects the personality of the agency. It's modern and creative but is unmistakably historic. The Firefly Building has been a Dayton mainstay for more than 100 years, and the current owners went all out in renovating the building to its current status. Our office space is open and collaborative, and we have a great rooftop overlooking the city skyline and Fifth Third Field. Clients love the energy here, and we're always excited to share our great space—hospitality is a big part of our culture.
What is the one thing in your workspace I can't work without?: The people that I work with. The agency world requires a lot of versatility, but I would never claim to be Jack-of-all-trades. One gratifying aspect of what I do is getting to benefit from the expertise of our various team members. It's great to know that whether our clients need strategic research, insightful copywriting, compelling design, cutting-edge digital development, or visionary video or events, we have the people to provide it. I personally try to contribute across the board, but I am most proud of my ability to bring the right people together to create something great.
What's your secret to success? Find the right people, and then trust and empower them to do exceptional work. The best managers I've have ever worked for are the ones who have identified where I could contribute and then allowed me to do so. I'm fortunate to work with professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds, each bringing something remarkable to the table.
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