We all lose out when overheads have to become the focus

When people asked if the BB in BBDO stood for Brian Berkman I said yes.

I even told some people who'd never heard of the communications giant that it did. The idea of a building with my name on it is very appealing, addictive even.

The financial reality though is that clients pay for everything, the corner office and the fast cars, and I'm not convinced that the work they think they pay for, doesn't suffer as agencies vie for more clients to pay for the corner office.

I believed, erroneously, that only corporate PR agencies with international offices and multiple employees could handle international brands with big budgets. This is not true.

Even in a large corporate only two or three people tend to work on an account at one time, even if there are 20 employees to call upon.

Sure, big clients may feel the need for a big resource in a hurry for unforeseen circumstances, but my experience of this is that all staff, irrespective how many there are, are always busy, so the agency outsources hands anyway.

I guess for as long as there are clients who will pay for it, communications companies will continue to spend money on flash. In my judgement the client always suffers.

Over the past fifteen years I have learnt that successful relationships with clients and the media have nothing to do with expensive offices and flashy cars, but everything to do with integrity and excellent work. No amount of schmoozing will save a relationship where the work is poor.

My challenge starting a new business is not to be seduced by a building with my name on it. My dream is for a time when success will be based on the work we do, and not the trappings. Overheads are indeed a trap, particularly fixed overheads like rent and staffing which can't easily ebb and flow to match billings.

In today's mobile era with more and more people choosing to work from a home office, deals and meetings are happening over coffee, while walking on the beachfront or at lunch. The traditional boundaries are being redefined. Who says work time is 9 - 5 or 8 - 7 in our careers? If it suits the client and professional why not have meetings at midnight?

Maybe I'm reinventing the wheel but it feels wonderfully liberating to take a look at business with fresh eyes and again ask the questions we all take for granted.