In this op-ed, Jamie Nosworthy, CEO of The Pistol, celebrates a decade of bold moves, hard lessons, and the unwavering belief that bravery, not caution, is what drives real growth.
As I sit down to write this, I’m celebrating my 10-year anniversary at The Pistol—a decade that has taken me from Sales & Marketing Manager at a SaaS startup to CEO of an agency delivering integrated marketing strategies for some of the world’s biggest brands. The journey from scrappy startup to industry leader has taught me a lot, but one thing stands above all: boldness wins.
Being bold has meant putting our clients and our people first—even when it wasn’t the easy choice. When COVID hit, many agencies cut staff, shrank teams, and scaled back client support. We doubled down. We leaned into the unknown, ensuring our clients had the strategic support they needed to navigate their shifting landscapes.
Being bold has meant building industry-first solutions—even when Australia wasn’t ready for them. Over the past decade, we’ve built technology platforms designed to accelerate our clients’ growth through smarter media buying, scalable solutions, and new revenue streams. Time and time again, we were told we were ‘too early’ or ‘too advanced’- so we took them to the US to unlock the scale. It’s time for Australia to step up. We have the talent, the ambition, and the creativity to lead on a global stage. What we need is the mindset to match.
And that mindset shift starts with our marketing leaders. For ten years, the most common feedback we’ve received in unsuccessful pitches is: “We’re not ready for this level of thinking.” It’s a frustrating sentiment and one that speaks volumes about the conservatism among some leaders in our industry. But taking calculated risks doesn’t mean risking it all—it means thinking bigger, moving faster, and being brave enough to step forward while others hesitate.
The last decade has also seen the rise of independent agencies, proving that transparency, mutuality, agility, and accountability aren’t just nice words—they’re business imperatives. Global and national brands are increasingly seeing the value in indie agencies, where decision-making is faster, relationships are deeper, and access to data and insights—once the domain of global holdcos—is now democratised.
Adapting to this rapidly evolving industry has meant building teams differently. I believe in T-shaped marketers, those with broad commercial, operational, and technological understanding, paired with deep expertise in a few key areas. I’ve seen the industry swing from valuing breadth to depth and back again, but the reality is you need both. The right structure and culture allow a team of complementary specialists to move the dial quickly and efficiently.
Beyond skills, marketers need a seat at the boardroom table. The shift from marketing being seen as a cost centre to a revenue driver is critical, especially given the complexity of today’s ecosystem. CMOs aren’t just responsible for brand and performance anymore—they’re overseeing martech, data strategy, business intelligence, analytics, and measurement. Marketing is business-critical, and it’s time that was recognised.
Lately, though, it feels like many marketers have lost their spark. Economic pressures have forced businesses to focus on the short term, at the cost of long-term brand building. But brands don’t grow from quarterly targets alone—they grow from meaningful customer connections, sustained investment, and bold thinking.
So, what’s next? The best agencies don’t just drive results; they shape industries and develop future leaders. That’s the standard we set for ourselves, and that’s what strive to continue.
Because in the end, the future belongs to those willing to take the leap.
