Creatives of all ages and backgrounds gathered at saa Tuesday night to discover how they could get more Traction from their creative careers. Anyone who walked through the doors that night hoping for a quick-fix, easy answer were probably disappointed in the report from guest speaker Tony Neary.

“If you do the push-ups, Coach will put you in the game,” was his repeated explanation of why the company he founded with Tom Kisker works harder than most players in this industry. “If you do the work, you’ll get the rewards. Your client asks you for five concepts? Give them 10.” This do-the-whole-job mentality earned them their first client notch on their belts -- the Florence Freedom minor league baseball team. Using their networking skills to get through the doors, team Traction employed their go-for-broke strategy and a careful display of hubris kept the team’s general manager on board through Traction’s execution of the brand image overhaul, which sealed the deal.

This strategy is what kept -- and still keeps -- Tony and Tom’s company cruising. Targeting potential clients based on their company ideologies of designing for passion, fun and purpose, the Cincinnati-based creative firm has taken on several NBA D-league teams, software companies, non-profits and even a few brands of health and beauty magnate Proctor & Gamble.

The secret to success? “Show them that you want to be there, don’t just do what’s been asked of you, do the whole job,” Tony reiterates. Looks like there really isn’t a hidden path circumventing that foreboding grindstone, after all. But, as Tony demonstrated in Tuesday’s presentation, hard work pays off in future jobs, which is all any firm can ask for.

Join us for more insider tips and advice from inspiring guest speakers. DCS, GDAA and the school of advertising art welcome Ben Nunery and Pat Jones from Powerhouse Factories on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m.