Starting up an agency in the cluttered landscape can be a headache! For today’s Women in Media profile we chatted to the very lovely director of agency ntegrity Richenda Vermeulen.
What are your passions?
Growth. I love being part of a constantly evolving industry. I love the growth of our business but outside of work it’s no different. I love seeing personal growth in my relationships, my marriage, and in my sense of self. I know the more I am able to grow, the more I can support those around me. Also, being stagnant is so boring. If you’re not growing in what you do – please change something.
What inspired you to set up ntegrity?
I loved working for World Vision but I became increasingly frustrated with the state of digital in Australia. After eight years in the USA, I understood how digital marketing delivers better products and better experiences. Customers become actual ‘fans’. Old processes are replaced; new ideas flourish. Better stories are told, and better stories are created. But in Australia, the brands I grew up loving were way behind. This frustration inspired me to start ntegrity, an agency that does things differently. What started as frustration, continues to inspire me.
How do you get others on-board with your vision?
We’re on the brink of a digital marketing awakening, which means our work does the talking. Many brands are becoming aware that large, expensive campaigns are not cutting through, and see this is as an old way of working. So they start looking for new solutions. We provide answers. Our current clients love our analytics-driven, customer experience focused services, so we’re a hugely word of mouth driven business. We attract ambitious clients who are willing to do things differently and see the power of digital.
Have you ever felt like giving up?
Yes. It’s overwhelming and exhausting to keep up with a growing business. Especially when you are a business that wants to do what’s right – no matter the cost. There have been a couple of times when I thought I would break. But even at my lowest, when I couldn’t get up, I always did.
Tickets for B&T’s Women In Media Awards in Sydney on 13th August 2015 at 6.30pm are on sale here.
