Don't hire an agency. Hire me.

I spent a chunk of my career at agencies big and small. I learned a lot, and I worked with some brilliant people. Agencies excel at certain kinds of projects, but not all kinds...

Agencies are great at ideas. I'm great at solutions.

Agencies understand how to use the web as a marketing and communications channel. I understand how to use it as a service delivery channel.

Agencies force you to work within their Process (with a capital P). I have experience working within many different processes, so I can do whatever works best for you.

Agencies play telephone. Let's say your agency contact is Jason. Jason communicates your 'ask' to Lisa, a Design Director. Lisa interprets it for Amy, a UX Designer. Then Amy does the work, and Lisa presents Amy's work to you. You tell me what you need. I do the work. I present it to you.

Agencies think their people are interchangeable. You think you're working with Jason and Lisa, but you're actually working with Amy (see above). Now the agency wants Amy to work on a pitch, so they hand her work to Jim. When you work with me, you work with me.

Agency people understand agency culture. I've worked at some of the best-known digital agencies, so I understand it too. But I've also worked in the product management organization of one of the biggest companies in the world, and I have been a director at two startups. I'm culturally agnostic.

When agencies sub-contract me, they charge you $200 an hour for my time. Why not hire me directly at the wholesale price?

To request my resume, review samples of my work, or discuss your project with me, send email to shawn at useragency dot com