Thinkerbell’s head of people and culture and the agency’s first employee, Emma O’Leary is to depart after 8 years.
In an exclusive chat with B&T to mark the end of the agency’s O’Leary era, she reveals that while she will miss the Revs basement, she has simply had enough of co-founder Adam Ferrier.
B&T: Why are you leaving Thinkerbell?
Emma O’Leary: Working with Adam Ferrier for 16 years…
For the past eight years, I’ve put my blood, sweat, smoothies and tears into Thinkerbell. I’m beyond proud of what I’ve helped create here. I reckon Thinkerbell has played a pretty big role in helping to create who I am today, too.
I’m excited to take what I’ve learned on this rollercoaster ride of setting up an agency from scratch – from the Revs basement on Chapel Street, no less – and give the things a whirl in a new industry.
B&T: You were in charge of culture. How do you create the culture of Thinkerbell? And how would you describe it?
EO: I’d describe the culture as being a colourful, cacophony of curious, creative creatures. How’s that for copywriting?
And you create that kind of culture through a lot of effort and care. To the point where it seems like it’s just happened organically, but it hasn’t. It’s built on rituals, like our Measured Mondays, Magic Hours, Get to the Choppa What’s App chat, our Thinkerbell 101s or our $1,000 Thinker and Tinker of the year prize handed out in $1 coins in a hessian sack.
It’s built on a leadership team with so much heart and passion, and through people who lean into the weirdness and our way of doing things. It’s built on giving your people the freedom to do great work and be themselves, no matter if they’re a Thinker, Tinker or COP.
For me, being at Thinkerbell has always been about holding onto what made us us from the beginning and making sure every single person, all 200 of ‘the us’ now, feels it every day. Thinkerbell is in the blood of everyone who works here, and we always say we hope you leave Thinkerbell in better nick than when you started – and this is absolutely true, even if it’s challenged you along the way.
It’s a bloody special place.
B&T: What’s your most vivid memory?
EO: My most vivid memory (trauma) is losing Thinkerbell’s cryptocurrency passwords and with it a potential $137,000. Luckily, the bottom has really fallen out of crypto now, so the sting is less harsh.
I’ve never owned up to this by the way, but I feel it’s appropriate now I’m leaving. Sorry.
B&T: What do you think agencies need to focus more on to sustain a strong culture?
EO: Rituals, rituals, rituals. Give people something to come together around – start your Mondays together and end your Fridays together – but really commit to it. We all bang on about rituals, but we’ve also all worked for places that have a lot of empty rituals, grey carpets and Friday afternoon drink trolleys – there’s not much magic in that.
B&T: What annoyed you most about Thinkerbell?
Pink and green
Squeaky floor boards
Jamie Lane
Krystel’s coffee
The rude lack of pisco sours
All the dogs in the office
The jelly bean on the dart board
The rude lack of san pellegrino sparkling water
Jim’s new blonde do
All agency emails about the queens death
Adam’s fish thongs
DIG and TWIG and PRISM
The snack drawers
The drum kit downstair
The airline chairs at reception
Cuz’s hats
Laptops
Margie’s barking
Di’s sausage rolls
Get to the Choppa What’s App
The Thinker/Tinker model
Adam’s involvement in the Christmas parties
The cartier watch I won on the Thinkerbelliversary dart board
The rooftop BBQs
Run club (Will owes me run club merch)
Get in my Thinkerbelly
Paul Swann’s berry scam
Jam sessions in South South
TKB Gallery in the foyer
Mind Expansion
The COP Shop
Cat chat group
Dog chat group
Allowing witchcraft in the office
Allowing me to play the same song multiple times
Acknowledging country to start the week
Lauren’s cheeseboards (and meat flowers)
The Batchelor’s Handbag
Our 12m resin bar at reception
Our reception being allllllll the way up the back of the office
The North, East and the South
Not knowing what we’re doing for my farewell party
Oh sorry, I misread the question – these are all the things I love!
