Michael Chiem | Feb. 11 2020
Twenty Nineteen was a big year for us. And one of the most celebration-worthy moments was commemorating FIVE five-year anniversaries. Something we consider a really big deal. So we pulled out all stops to show our gratitude for such a valuable commitment.
Whether it was a trip to a vineyard in Mexico for our wine connoisseur, Maggie, or sending Jorge to Texas to take in the artistry and music of Austin City Limits, relaxing on a tropical vacation like Kim and Dave soon will do, or celebrating Celine’s style and “always on time-ness” with a vintage Rolex, we wanted to gift each of them with a unique and memorable experience.
Pictured (from left to right), Dave Horowitz, Maggie Cadigan, Jorge Andrade, Kim Vorse (and her dog Charlie, also celebrating five years) and Celine Faledam, reflect on their time at The Many…
Dave Horowitz, who started as junior producer in September 2014 and is now director of production:
Not a lot of companies encourage or foster personal and professional growth, but The Many does. My career trajectory is a direct result of that, and I cannot thank the partners enough for the opportunities they have provided me over the years.
Like most New York transplants, I headed West for an opportunity and the possibility of a tan. Perched along the main artery of Venice, a stone’s throw from the Pacific, with inane drum circles and atonal guitar noodling in the distance, Mistress unbuttoned her blouse to offer me both. This was a little over five years ago.
The tale of Mistress blossoming into The Many and relocating to the proper digs of a West Coast debutante is an amalgamation of countless hours of hard work and the common, insatiable appetite to succeed among many talented, creative, cool, and, above all, kind people. I am humbled to have been, and continue to be, a part of this ever-evolving carousel of characters.
I look forward to the next phase of this wild journey, but I still don’t have a tan. Maybe this year. That’s on me.
Maggie Cadigan, who started as a senior brand manager and is now leading our Boston office as managing director:
Are you sure it’s been five years?! When I first walked through the doors here at The Many, I knew this place was some kind of special. The energy, the passion, the different perspectives, the unwillingness to settle for anything but ‘great’ and the supportive kindness that was shared between each and every human. Even when we were just 25 people, it really was a recipe for something amazing.
It was only by carrying those fundamentals through the lifetime of the agency that we’ve been able to successfully shift with the ever-changing demands of the industry. These shifts have presented new growth opportunities almost daily for everyone, including me. From project-based to taking on AORs, from social-only clients to social-as-table-stakes for all, from ‘collaborating with media’ to ‘integrated and pivoting with media,’ and many more. Learning to grow with these shifts have made The Many my career rocketship. The ones that have been here this long have had no (happier) choice but to continue stepping up to every new plate ready to craft something great and, for that, I am forever grateful and eagerly awaiting the next five.
Jorge Andrade, who started as a designer in July 2014 and is now an associate director of design:
Looking back at my five years at The Many, I realize how much I’ve grown both as an individual and as a professional. If you were to ask me what the biggest takeaway from this whole experience has been, it would be to allow yourself to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I’ve learned that growth comes whenever you’ve left your comfort zone and pushed beyond your ‘limit.’
In addition to being a workplace where talented individuals who are driven and passionate to create good work come to play, The Many thrives in culture. I’m blessed to be able to say that coming in to work doesn’t ever feel like a drag (yes, even on Mondays). I find myself excited about the work I do and inspired by the people I get to work with. Funny thing is I didn’t think it was possible for things to get better… yet they did when we got our new office space right by the PCH. You can basically say I work in heaven and, yes, I am doing the lord’s work. Sort of.
Kim Vorse, who started as an executive assistant in September 2014 and is now a producer:
I know that to some, the idea of staying in one company for five years seems bonkers. ‘Don’t you get bored of being at the same place for that long? What about your personal growth? And development in your career?’
The short answer to those questions is that my time at The Many has been incredibly rich in opportunity and in change. I started out as an executive assistant and through patience, sheer will, and the support of the partners, was able to move laterally into the career path I knew I wanted to be in: production.
Since then, I’ve worked on some truly killer brands and cultivated a reel of work that, in a traditional agency, that would take me years to amass.
Surprisingly, my case is not entirely unique. I look at all the other five-year vets and see a group of inspiring individuals that are still here because they were also given a ladder to climb and challenges to solve that grew them into the badasses they are now. No one on that five-year rung is standing where they started.
I don’t know where the agency is headed, but I do know that The Many’s pioneering spirit of embracing change, believing in people, and lack of fear when it comes to operating outside of traditional methods of doing things will guide a new generation of five-year vets to look back and marvel at the journey.
Celine Faledam, who started as a creative in November 2014 and is now an associate creative director:
Being one of The Many as it went through so much transformation over the last five years has been golden. I look back and see how I fed off that momentum and how that momentum in turn propelled me to where I’m at today. Ha! Growth! The line moving forward and up ❤️ ❤️ ❤️! Amidst the change, relevancy — as it applies to ‘culture’ — is what’s remained a constant at the agency at its core and kept me an engaged individual, always having to adapt and thrive for what’s next. A gang of only five of us from back to the ‘startup’ days are here today with equally flourishing journeys. We now call ourselves a full service agency and there are over 90 people, all new — speak of growth and change!
Not sure about you, but we can’t wait to see what these five do next. Up up and away!