Yep, Ligon Media is 18 years young. We can now vote!

As with any anniversary (or birthday, depending on how you want to view it), it’s a time to get sappy and say thank you to all of those who have helped us grow through the years. That means clients, friends, family, and colleagues.

I can still remember my very first client pitch. I was at a nightclub and had just lost my job at the dot com company. It was Memorial Day weekend and I was chatting with Margaret Fortune, a friend who I sorta knew (I was very good friends with her boyfriend) and she was asking me the kinds of things I did (I had just decided to go out on my own, since I had lost my job on that Friday (the day before)). She was looking for an agency to help her with her nonprofit. And everything she asked me if I could do, I said yes to. I had come from a large advertising and public relations agency prior to joining the dot com, and even if I had never personally done it, I had seen it done and was confident I could do anything that was thrown my way. We agreed to meet the following week without the Vodka Collins. And a couple days later, prior to meeting with her, my phone rang and a colleague of mine (shout out to Nancy Mallory) called to tell me she had spoken to Ettore Ravazzolo and he was looking for an agency to represent his restaurant / bakery. Nancy passed on it, but recommended me because she knew I was going out on my own. My meeting with Ettore came before my meeting with Margaret. I signed Ettore’s first and then a few days later I signed Project Pipeline. I always consider the day I signed Ettore’s as the first official day of my new company (it was creative d ADVERTISING at the time). 

As I think about the kinds of projects Ligon Media has done over the years, I often times think about the first meeting at the nightclub with Margaret. If I hadn’t said yes to every question she asked, I probably wouldn’t be here. Over the years, I have learned my limits and either bring in outside consultants to accomplish the client’s goals or just turn down the project if it’s outside our expertise. But when you’re brand new, and hungry, you do what you can to pay the rent. But the funny thing is, after 18 years, Ligon Media is still hungry. I still answer the phone from clients on the weekends and after work hours, regardless of its size or even if it’s something I’m going to get paid for. Good customer service means servicing the customer good (yes, I know that’s not correct grammar, but sometimes copywriters cheat when it comes to proper grammar when it sounds cool).

Ligon Media (we’re just going to pretend that was always our name) started out as an advertising agency that also did public relations. Then we started building websites. Then we started doing video production. Then we started doing design work. And then we were hired for photo shoots. And pretty soon, our list of what we do, made us into a full-fledged marketing communications agency.

That’s enough sappiness and walk down memory lane for this year. Next year, I hope to have more.

Longest Term Client

• Gold Rush Grille aka Crisp Catering (April 2004).

First Clients

• Ettore’s Restaurant and European Bakery
• Project Pipeline Teacher Recruitment Center

Most Recent New Client

• Everlasting Markers

Largest Client (in terms of sheer size)

• NorCal Ace Hardware (54 stores)

Blast From the Past Client

• United Advocates for Children and Families
  *The CEO Oscar Wright and I knew each other from our days of working at Governor’s Office and we got reunited when another former colleague of mine from the advertising agency referred me without knowing our history.

Incomplete List of Clients (past and present)

• See them here.