Ryan Kutscher, Founder and chief creative officer of the advertising agency Circus Maximus, makes a living off of doing what he loves, but his journey into his dream career wasn’t straightforward. There were several times in his life he felt lost, unsure of what next steps to take academically and professionally.
An Unlikely Introduction to Advertising
After high school, he did what seemed like the most practical thing at the time, which was attending the college of William and Mary. Kutscher reflected on this decision on Adam Posner’s podcast, The Pozcast. “It was a reputable school,” he said. “’Ivy league’ level education at state school pricing.” He went on to explain that most of his decision-making at the time was based on what seemed rational on paper. Ultimately, however, the college experience there disappointed him. “This is it?” he started to wonder. William and Mary was a good college, but he felt something was missing. By the time he reached his junior year, he had accumulated some doubts about whether he was going into the right career field. He dropped out of business school but didn’t quite know what he wanted to do after graduation. That was until he received an email about a new college course in advertising, which he decided to check out on a whim. The minute his professor entered the room on the first day of class, Kutscher piqued up. It was there that he was introduced to the idea of combining business and storytelling, using creativity to sell products and services. The idea that he could reignite the old interests he had and use it for his career intrigued him. He explained his realization on Posner’s podcast. “You tell stories,” Kutscher said, “come up with a narrative, draw pictures.” This caught his interest, and he became curious about what the industry had to offer.
Pursuing a Career
Kutscher started off in the industry as an intern in an ad agency, and although he performed well, he was told that he needed a portfolio to secure a full-time job. With no prior work experience, he realized the only option was to attend portfolio school, which he did with the Miami Ad school in Florida. The Ad school felt much more fitting to him than his college experience, turning out to be the type of environment he had been looking for.
Just under two years later, he got into another internship, which later transitioned him into his first job in advertising. Over the years, Ryan worked his way up the ranks and held positions as a creative director at major advertising agencies such as J. Walter Thompson and Crispin, Porter + Bogusky. However, he realized those positions had limitations, as some of the people he worked for showed hesitancy to accept some of his ideas. He then headed out on his own as a freelancer, but it wasn’t until he founded his own agency, Circus Maximus, that he truly made his mark in the industry. Now, he runs an agency that uses “High-stakes make-believe” to help businesses get their messages out to target audiences.
Summary
Through his experiences, Kutscher has learned the importance of doing what works for him. This stood out to him through his time at William and Mary. “There’s two ways to think about it,” he told Posner on The Pozcast. “One is, is college part of your plan? Or are you part of the college’s plan.” When Kutscher felt part of the college’s plan, he realized he was meant to do something different than what he had originally planned. With his newfound enthusiasm for the world of advertising, and the support of his parents, he was able to find and thrive in a career he loved. In the podcast, Posner asked Kutscher what his compass is, the north star in his life and the one thing that drives him to keep going. “Keep evolving,” Kutscher answered. As he stays true to his methods, he continues to study what works and what doesn’t for the ever-changing times. With his knowledge in storytelling and his flexibility to meet the desires of consumers, Ryan Kutscher will undoubtedly continue to thrive in the advertising industry, enjoying doing what he loves in the process.
Ryan Kutscher, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the advertising agency Circus Maximus, is known for his knowledge and experience in advertising. He can be followed on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. More information about Circus Maximus is available on their website at https://www.circusmaximus.com/, or via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/circus-maximus/.
