Author Roger Darnell Of Darnell Works: How To Take Your Company From Good To Great

An Interview With Jerome Knyszewski

Reflect the mission and values by building a positive culture accordingly. With my clients at Cutters Studios, I get to see this in action every day. They are committed to excellence in creating breakthrough content for film, television, and branded storytelling, using their resources to solve the world’s problems, and to supporting the lives of their employees, long-term. This approach is rewarded with exceptional morale, amazing retention rates, longstanding and highly loyal client relationships, and a true family atmosphere that inspires love, compassion, and togetherness.

As part of my series about the “How To Take Your Company From Good To Great”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Roger Darnell.

Roger Darnell is an author, communications consultant, publisher, and speaker. Already central to billions of positive media impressions worldwide through his work with The Darnell Works Agency, his ambitious collaborations with entrepreneurs and media luminaries continue soaring to new heights.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I was on the six-year plan when I studied at the University of Central Florida in Orlando (back then, students referred to ‘UCF’ standing for ‘U Can’t Finish’), but I wound up with two B.A. degrees, including one in Film. Right away, I got a big break: a part-time job writing press releases for the tele-production/post juggernaut Century III (C3) at Universal Studios Florida. Over the next few years, I worked my way onto some cool film and TV projects as a script coordinator. That led us on to LA, where my experiences opened new doors, leading to an account manager position with high-tech PR firm The Terpin Group. I left there in 2000 to launch The Darnell Works Agency, and have been working with creative-industry All Stars ever since.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

I married Beth, my college sweetheart, within a couple years of graduating, and two weeks before our wedding, I was laid off from Ivan Tors Entertainment (ITE), which at that time was developing “Flipper: The Movie” as part of its slate. That led to some very odd jobs, some sketchy writing and freelance assignments, and despite my aspirations for greatness, quite a few dead-ends.

Our family had faith in me, and my mentor Randy Baker plugged me into a lot of his top-flight production assignments. Being industrious with Randy and on my own, I was ready when some big opportunities came along … then went with the flow. Self-employment and writing are very important to me. I’ve focused on solidifying my business for decades, and over the past few years, I’ve started making progress with personal writing projects.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?

One story comes to mind from my early days working as the assistant for ITE’s Executive Producer, where I aspired to become their Production Coordinator.

Our offices were based on the backlot of the Disney-MGM Studios theme park in Walt Disney World Resort. The executive in charge of the studio was the illustrious Bob Allen, and anything we wanted to do production-wise required coordination with his office. When my early efforts led to a project we needed to coordinate, I was told, “Talk to Bob.” As I learned, he was frequently tied up on other calls, but when his assistant asked if I would like to hold, I said, “Sure thing!” And that’s what I did.

There were probably a few times when I “held” for 15 minutes or more, for two reasons that still seem pretty solid: (1) This was the top item on my to-do list, and (2) they offered!

It didn’t take too long to understand that my eagerness and persistence were not seen as virtues by this busy VIP. That early career “inexperience” helped me better understand the importance of building relationships to last.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

As a creative-industry PR consultant, I know a lot of people who specialize in what I do. It seems some of us are better at some things compared with others, but really, when you work with any of us and put your best effort forward to make the relationship productive, the benefits to be gained are usually considerable. I’ve seen my competitors do things really well, that inspire me to get better; and hopefully what I achieve with my clients helps to notch the standards higher for everyone involved in our profession, who is paying attention.

I have engaged with companies that worked with other PR agencies in the past, and based on that background, we were able to soar to another level, since the company executives had renewed their desire to engage in public and media relations. I also know that some of my clients have wound up working with some of my competitors. I feel like all of that is perfectly okay. What’s most important is fit, and happiness. I have a roster of clients where we all fit together very nicely, and there is a lot of happiness across the board. When you have that in business, it affects everything; that’s when magic can happen.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

There are a lot of people living under-the-gun these days, who can’t even stop to think about not burning out due to pressure. They can never let up, and I feel for them … and wonder if I can offer something prescriptive.

Through my work engaging with people as a communications consultant, I’ve learned to focus on objectives. You really get the heart of someone’s agenda when you ask them what is the most important thing they are needing to achieve.

So, especially for people going through tough times, I would encourage them to begin by visualizing what they wish to manifest. With that objective in mind, I’d tell them that they absolutely deserve to have it become reality, and suggest they do at least one thing every day to move further on that quest. Know it can happen, work toward it, and move ahead to the best of your ability, even when it seems impossible.

For those who aren’t struggling but are aiming to thrive: Understand how fortunate you are to have the ability to alter your own fate. Adopt an attitude of gratitude, and don’t wait until tomorrow (it may not arrive): Seize the day to pursue your objectives, don’t take high risks, and when you confront obstacles, focus on overcoming them. You absolutely deserve to achieve your objective, and you can make it happen, especially when you commit yourself to it and consistently press onward.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

In 1999, I found myself going to work every day as Director of Marketing for a creative production company in Santa Monica, trying to help advance their considerable success. Their business model was all new to me, and I have to thank my friend Tim Street — who I first met at Disney-MGM Studios — for hiring me away from my previous post in Hollywood. A mentor arose in San Francisco by the name of Lisa Cleff; based on her strong presence hitting Tim up about commercial production opportunities, Tim suggested I “talk to Lisa.”

That led to me forging one of the most impactful relationships in my life. While Lisa represented unlimited creative-industry resourcefulness and savoir faire, she also recognized some strengths in me. When she was recruited to work for high-tech PR luminary Michael Terpin in LA, she suggested me as a perfect fit — and I got the job. When I left to start my own shop, she convinced ATTIK’s principals to hire me, then referred me far and wide, across America and beyond. Many of those relationships live on, and they all started thanks to the one-and-only Lisa Cleff-Kurtz.

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. The title of this series is “How to take your company from good to great”. Let’s start with defining our terms. How would you define a “good” company, what does that look like? How would you define a “great” company, what does that look like?

I’d like to start first with the great company. If you own a company that does work you enjoy, you are profitable, have the ability to forecast, feel secure about future operations, and provide benefits to your employees that are reasonably considered “good,” I would call that greatness (especially because this type of overall positive bearing is so rare).

At the bottom level is a company on the verge of failure. They are in deep debt that is growing, no employees have security or decent benefits, and only a miracle will save the operation.

In between these two extremes is the good company. Some aspects of the business operation may be a little wobbly, and although some routine maintenance may be required here and there, there is enough company leadership and positive employee morale for a reasonable person to think that good times are coming, and the company’s overall outlook is positive.

Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to lead a company from Good to Great? Please share a story or an example for each.

1. Mission and vision. Great companies clearly express their mission and vision, providing a “test” that employees (and others) can compare themselves against, and apply in doing their work to ensure everything aligns. For the perfect example, see https://www.patagonia.com/core-values/
2. Reflect the mission and values by building a positive culture accordingly. With my clients at Cutters Studios, I get to see this in action every day. They are committed to excellence in creating breakthrough content for film, television, and branded storytelling, using their resources to solve the world’s problems, and to supporting the lives of their employees, long-term. This approach is rewarded with exceptional morale, amazing retention rates, longstanding and highly loyal client relationships, and a true family atmosphere that inspires love, compassion, and togetherness.
3. Ensure that employees’ voices are heard, and that they have a say in important company developments. While most Cutters’ business took place inside the walls of its studios prior to the pandemic, most of its employees now continue to work remotely. By creating regular online events for group networking and fun, they have kept engagement high, and kept business right on track compared with pre-COVID standards.
4. Acknowledge employees’ lives outside of the workplace and support them as much as possible. When anyone sees a company adopting practices like this, it is incredibly inspiring — and attractive. I know of one company that lost a key team-member to cancer — they paid out all the unused sick leave and vacation to the family, offered the surviving spouse an honorary part-time job to keep healthcare benefits intact, and established college funds for the children.
5. Make employees’ stories and accomplishments part of the company’s story. This is a simple way of showing that a company cares about the lives of those who build their business. Have you ever seen an “Employee of the Month” parking space for a business? That simple initiative speaks volumes.

Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. Can you help articulate for our readers a few reasons why a business should consider becoming a purpose driven business, or consider having a social impact angle?

For readers who are business owners or executives, much of the world is experiencing a shortage of labor, and experts widely acknowledge there being many more vacancies than available workers. To attract and retain quality employees, a company needs to do all it can. The ideas in my interview and others in this series prescribe strategic approaches that can be applied to set businesses apart meaningfully, improve workforces, and unleash success.

For the self-employed, here again, intelligent positioning is proven to be effective in reducing competition and qualifying for opportunities (see https://winwithoutpitching.com).

And for all those seeking employment that is fulfilling, the work that goes into managing and communicating one’s own story and values is sure to pay off. You can count on luck and hope that your resume and the other details a vigilant Human Resources can learn about you through a simple online search all add up to make you attractive; or you can hone-in on your own objectives and purpose, shape/compile that portfolio, present it powerfully, and proactively set yourself apart.

What would you advise to a business leader who initially went through years of successive growth, but has now reached a standstill. From your experience do you have any general advice about how to boost growth and “restart their engines”?

While much of the business world obsesses over growth, that is a bend I don’t share unless it is an imperative for my client. With The Darnell Works Agency as an example, I focus more on being extraordinary for my clients — and internal stability, efficiency, and optimization according to my mission and vision. Without addressing those internal matters, I feel the pursuit of growth is reckless.

Lasting growth can only occur when a company is strategically addressing profitability, customer service, and its internal culture. If it falls to you to generate growth, I encourage you to assess the status of those aspects of the operation, and to ensure everything possible is being done to optimize them all. If the company has a positive outlook for profitability, and customers and employees are as happy as they can be, growth is probably already happening organically, and shrewd marketing initiatives will pay big dividends.

Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?

Obviously, companies and individuals can grow in ways that don’t reflect on the annual tax return or sales sheet. To the point about what success looks like in turbulent times, in my book, financial stability is cause for celebration, and it’s something we must strive to maintain. To forge ahead methodically and intelligently, I counsel myself regularly, examining performance against my established measures. This involves taking time (at least once per week) where I sit and think about my business, sketch out my thoughts, and record my best handling ideas. By adopting this process, I have observed regular progress on the aspects of business that are most important to me, and built confidence that has helped me overcome adversity.

In your experience, which aspect of running a company tends to be most underestimated? Can you explain or give an example?

Generally speaking, I have seen a lot of entrepreneurs who struggle with the need to market themselves proactively. This is surprisingly common, in my experience, for ventures involving 1–5 people (which describes my own company, as well as many of my clients and competitors).

Consider that many of us creative marketers do not market ourselves creatively. I am avoiding a well-worn cliché, but many readers probably recognize what I’m referring to. A little more directly, I have observed that it is quite rare for advertising agencies to advertise themselves.

Still, most people have some understanding of what it takes to catch a fish. If you use a metaphor to think about what type of “fish” you need to catch for your business to succeed, follow through with the exercise and figure out your best bait, hook, location, time, and conditions for being successful. Then put your bait out, and commit to all the steps necessary to land that catch and convert it into what you need.

A more elevated approach to this story would be to build a rig that attracts and catches fish automatically. That’s what savvy content marketing can do for you.

As you know, “conversion” means to convert a visit into a sale. In your experience what are the best strategies a business should use to increase conversion rates?

Many experts and their guidance come to mind for me as I think through this question. To me, that makes a good point: Readers should look at challenges like this, and look into solving them according to their own impulses, and the sources they find for answers.

As for me, this idea of how I convert a prospect into a customer has a great number of factors, all of which require diligence to understand. Assuming we feel there is a solid fit and that our offering matches the customer’s needs, then it’s a matter of doing whatever is necessary to close the sale, so that vendor and customer are both happy to proceed.

Those prerequisites (ensuring a solid fit for all parties, ensuring the offering matches the needs) are areas that can be assessed and optimized for their effectiveness, which I would expect to drive more conversions, if we can identify and engage with more prospects.

In my experience, what attracts new, pre-qualified prospects is shrewd marketing that proactively illuminates what I am doing to make my customers happy.

Of course, the main way to increase conversion rates is to create a trusted and beloved brand. Can you share a few ways that a business can earn a reputation as a trusted and beloved brand?

As discussed, quality customers and employees alike are drawn to companies that embrace their values and match them in their actions. When other customers and associates exemplify the values and benefit from the brand, all the signals align in attractive homing beacons that make it easy for prospects to flock aboard.

Great customer service and great customer experience are essential to build a beloved brand and essential to be successful in general. In your experience what are a few of the most important things a business leader should know in order to create a Wow! Customer Experience?

The ability to anticipate customers’ needs is an excellent characteristic, and that’s one that’s sure to set a business apart, whatever its industry niche. Of course, without a great product that performs as advertised, customers will eventually dry up, even with the best customer service department. So, the recipe for uncommon success involves truly beneficial products/services, a customer service function that is easily accessible whenever it’s needed and that persists until every customer’s needs are met. For an enterprise that delivers on that gold standard of service, the sky is the limit — so long as the products and services are warrantable.

What are the most common mistakes you have seen CEOs & founders make when they start a business? What can be done to avoid those errors?

Going back to the idea of just focusing on the first or next sale, I feel that intelligent brand development and smart marketing are areas that can benefit virtually every founder. Personally, I learned a great deal from the founders of UK-based global creative agency ATTIK, in that they were brash, bold, energetic, and highly innovative when it came to their own marketing. Perhaps their example also colors my vision, since there were many phases of exponential growth, but also, more than one large-scale downsize.

In their original art/business book “Noise 5,” ATTIK principals Simon Needham, James Sommerville, Will Travis, Ric Peralta and their colleagues artfully conveyed all the merits of being driven by design. Design Thinking has since become a prominent theme, and for those intent on avoiding mistakes in business, it offers a proven formula for success. For further exploration, I highly recommend Roger Martin’s book, “The Design of Business.”

Thank you for all of that. We are nearly done. You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

For every example of some idea that has been brought about brilliantly and is worshipped by the world-at-large, countless versions have died on the vine. I have an idea that is so important, I expect it is probably already flourishing somewhere beyond my field of vision. With our global population, there is always a growing class of people “aging out” of business through no choice of their own. Although I am familiar with SCORE.org in America, I have not had great experiences in my attempts to work with them. I’d love to see a similar talent pool unified and brought to bear, to the benefit of those needing mentorship and other types of information investments. Perhaps GoFundMe could also tie-in to help match vital financial needs when a prospect ascends toward a key goal. Also addressing the needs for non-profits and even hard-pressed governmental agencies, we might unleash a new platform for productive good, utilizing under-used resources in heroic ways.

How can our readers further follow you online?

I am ‘rkdarnell’ on Twitter and Instagram, and you can find me and register for VIP email updates at rkdarnell.com.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this!