Episode Summary
In this episode of An Agency Story, Russel Dubree sits down with Kathleen Sarpy, founder of Agency H5, a Chicago-based PR and marketing firm known for its strong values and creative campaigns. Kathleen shares how she went from a determined college graduate relentlessly pursuing her dream job to launching her own firm in her basement while raising two kids.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- Why Kathleen left the corporate world to create a firm where values come first.
- How her scrappy, persistent attitude helped Agency H5 win major clients and national recognition.
- The culture strategy behind hiring, retaining, and scaling with purpose.
Agency Info
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Company: Agency H5
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Guest: Kathleen Sarpy
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Year Started: 2001
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Employees: 50 – 100
Kindness doesn’t mean soft. It means consistent, fast, and accountable.
Kathleen Sarpy
Key Takeaways
Lead with Values, Not Just Vision
Kathleen founded Agency H5 on five core values: kindness, creativity, passion, hustle, and integrity. These principles shaped every decision—from hiring to client selection—and remain the foundation of the agency’s success today.
Persistence Opens Doors
Kathleen’s early career is a masterclass in tenacity. She landed her first agency job by calling the GM at 7 a.m. and offering to pick up his dry cleaning. That same grit helped her survive her firm’s first year when she earned just $5,000.
Build a Culture that Nurtures People
Whether surprising employees with designer shoes or spa days, Kathleen believes in celebrating people as individuals. Her hiring process emphasizes personal values and emotional intelligence over resumes.
Scrappy Can Still Mean Sophisticated
Agency H5 competes with global firms by delivering award-winning work at faster speeds and with high-touch service. Kathleen’s ability to execute campaigns like the world’s largest s’more for Coleman made the agency a standout.
Culture Can Scale—If You’re Intentional
Despite growing to over 50 people, Kathleen kept her agency culture alive by empowering leaders, listening to her team, and evolving expectations post-pandemic. She proves that strong culture isn’t size-dependent—it’s leadership-dependent.
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