How small teams move the needle faster

Independent agencies are claiming a growing share of the industry’s recognition. This year, Rethink was named Ad Age’s 2026 Agency of the Year and won both Independent Agency and Independent Network of the Year at Cannes Lions. Last year, eight of the 11 winners of Adweek’s 2025 Agency of the Year were independent. This reflects a broader shift. Large agencies still produce great work, but size no longer directly correlates with capability. Independent teams can compete at the highest level because of the agility that comes from keeping the right people close to the work and to their clients, rather than moving through layers, departments, and long approval chains. Strategists, designers, producers, and clients can challenge one another earlier, make decisions faster and build stronger work together. When I started TOML Collective, the goal was not to create a smaller version of a traditional agency. It was to build something different: a collective where talent came first, creativity was respected, and collaboration was not limited by borders. Today, we have a small core team and a wider network of more than 50 creatives and partners, which allows us to assemble the right team ar…