Challenging the Status Quo: Laura Hutfless On Questioning Systems and Pushing Boundaries

Laura Hutfless is the founder and CEO of FlyteVu, a creative and entertainment marketing agency connecting brands to consumers through pop culture and purpose. Under her leadership, FlyteVu has delivered award-winning campaigns for brands like Spotify, Bumble, and Under Armour and led impactful efforts like Bumble’s first Super Bowl ad, Vista’s global ReferHer program, and the rebrand of Humane World for Animals.

Driven by purpose, she launched the FlyteVu Fund, which allocates 10% of agency revenue to nonprofits and Triumph Over Tragedy, a therapeutic program for mass shooting survivors. In 2021, she adopted her daughter as a single mother and, in 2024, led FlyteVu through a successful acquisition by Driftwood Music Group, where she remains CEO.

Laura sat down with LBB to chat about discovering her natural instinct to lead, figuring out the kind of leader she wanted to be and the mindset that led her to start FlyteVu...

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?

Laura> My first experience with leadership came in childhood. I remember a group science project in fourth grade where, once our teams were assigned, I naturally stepped forward to organise the work, assign roles, and guide our progress. On class field trips to amusement parks, I was the one holding the map, planning the route, and setting the agenda for the day. Without consciously aiming for it, I often found myself in that guiding role, and others seemed to look to me for direction.

Looking back, I realise that while I had an instinct to lead, I still had much to learn about true leadership. I came to understand that effective leadership isn’t about telling people what to do, but about achieving results through collaboration, trust, and empowering others. I’m still a work in progress.

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be - or what kind of leader you didn't want to be?

Laura> For me, figuring out the kind of leader I wanted to be – and the kind I didn’t – came through trial and error. Leadership is not a straight path, and I’ve made mistakes along the way that taught me, ‘I don’t want to do that again.’ I’m fortunate to have trusted advisors in my corner – my co-founder, COO, and chief of staff – who aren’t afraid to tell me when I’m wrong, and I know their feedback comes from a place of wanting the best for me.

Some of my greatest lessons have also come from observing others. I’ve had the privilege of having a front row seat to observing how CEOs of our clients lead, and one who stands out is Chad Spencer, CEO of Ashley Furniture. He’s a legend because he leads with heart, vision, and passion – never fear. He lights up when he talks about his team and his family, and people naturally want to follow him. He’s a true champion of people, and that’s the kind of leader I strive to be.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?

Laura> In 2019, my significant other unexpectedly passed away. During that time, I had to step away from the business for an extended period, and my team immediately stepped in. They kept the business moving forward, motivated each other, and gave me the time and space I needed to grieve and heal. Beyond that, they showed up for me personally — helping plan the funeral and even flying across the country to be there by my side.

That experience taught me one of the greatest lessons in leadership: it isn’t about titles or positions. Leadership is a mindset. It’s action. It’s stepping up when times are hard and showing up for others in meaningful ways. To this day, I still tear up thinking about it, because in that season, my team became my teachers.

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?

Laura> I’m not sure I would have originally labelled it as ‘wanting to be a leader.’ What I did know, even early in my career, was that I had a bigger vision and more ambition than many of my managers. I was the one constantly spotting opportunities, questioning systems, and pushing boundaries. I’ve always believed that processes are meant to be challenged – asking, How can we do this better? How can we stand out? How can we move faster?

That mindset eventually led me to start FlyteVu. I saw a unique business opportunity that my employer wasn’t willing to pursue, so I took the leap and built it myself. I didn’t begin with the goal of ‘becoming a leader,’ but rather with the drive to innovate and execute on a vision. Leadership, in that sense, came naturally as a by-product of pursuing what I believed in.

LBB> When it comes to leadership as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?

Laura> I believe good leaders are born, but great leaders are built. In my work with CEOs across industries and organisations of all sizes, I’ve noticed one consistent truth: the best leaders weren’t born great. They became great by persevering through adversity, by serving their teams, and by mastering communication – something I’m still working on myself.

At FlyteVu, we do extensive testing, and I can often spot a leadership profile right away. But I’ve also seen that without the soft skills of leadership – empathy, humility, communication – even the most ‘natural’ leader will struggle and become difficult to work with. Early in my career, a boss once told me, ‘You’re a top performer at the agency, but people don’t want to follow you. You need to learn how to make them want to follow you.’ That feedback was brutal for a people-pleasing over-achiever, but it stuck with me. It taught me that leadership isn’t about power; it’s about influence, trust, and making others believe in the vision enough to walk alongside you.

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?

Laura> The most challenging aspect of leadership for me is prioritisation. As the founder, there are always more ideas, opportunities, and problems than one person can take on, and my instinct is to want to tackle them all. Learning to focus on the few that will truly move the business forward – and being disciplined enough to let go of the rest – has been a constant growth area for me.

Another challenge has been the transition from leading a small, hands-on team to scaling with a larger organisation. In the early days, I could lean in directly with each individual, mentoring and helping them grow. As we’ve scaled, I’ve had to learn to trust my leadership team to take on that responsibility. Letting go to focus on the bigger vision hasn’t always been easy, but it’s necessary for both the company and for my own growth as a leader.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you've failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?

Laura> I’ve failed more times than I can count – and I don’t expect that to stop. I believe that if you’re not failing, you’re not growing. The failures that weigh on me most are the ones where I’ve let my team down in small but meaningful ways.

For example, I once promised to send dinner to a team member who was going through a tough time and simply forgot. Another time, I missed forwarding a message about a colleague’s charitable initiative because I got caught up in a fire drill and missed the window.

Those moments stay with me because my standards for myself are high, and I hold myself accountable. When I fall short, the first thing I do is own it and apologise directly. Over time, I’ve also been learning to extend to myself the same grace I give to others – to recognise that mistakes don’t define me, but how I respond to them does.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what's your approach there? Do you think it's important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?

Laura> One of my biggest lessons in leadership came from my commitment to transparency and honesty. Early on in FlyteVu’s infancy, I made it a practice to hold quarterly team meetings where I shared our company’s financials openly with the entire agency. As we grew, I continued with this same approach without realising that not everyone was equipped to process or act on that level of information.

In one particular meeting, when we were falling short of our revenue goals, my attempt to be transparent and motivating backfired – instead of inspiring the team, I unintentionally caused worry and fear among some of the younger staff. I found myself spending more time doing damage control than focusing on how we could actually build revenue.

That experience taught me that leadership isn’t just about being open, it’s about being thoughtful and intentional in communication. As we scaled, I learned to adapt the level of detail and message to the audience, ensuring that transparency built trust and alignment, rather than creating unnecessary anxiety.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills, did you have a mentor? If so, who were/are they, and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders, and how do you approach that relationship?

Laura> Yes – one of my most impactful mentors was Rob Light, a partner at CAA. He wasn’t my direct boss, but I’ll never forget the way he made me feel as a young professional. Once a year, he would take me to breakfast, and during that time he was fully present – no phone, no distractions, just genuine attention. If I ever called, he always answered. And no matter how well I was performing, he gave me honest, sometimes tough, feedback because he wanted me to be the best. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate it, but once I became a leader myself, I realised the true gift of his example.

I’ve carried those lessons into how I mentor others today. I’m selective in who I mentor – I look for people who put in the effort, show up prepared, and demonstrate a real commitment to growth. And my promise to them is the same one Rob modelled for me: to be present, to follow through, and to speak truth, not just what they want to hear.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?

Laura> I approach leading through difficult circumstances by making transformation a team sport. From the start, I set the expectation that change is constant – our industry and the world are always evolving, so adaptability is part of who we are. By framing it this way, the team isn’t blindsided by shifts; they’re mentally prepared to embrace them.

As the visionary, I focus on three things: identifying how we can differentiate, building a moat to protect that advantage, and ensuring the team is engaged and aligned on the journey. At my core, I’m an entrepreneur – spotting opportunities, building solutions, and executing on them are my strengths. But I know those skills only matter if the team feels ownership in the transformation. That’s why I lead with inclusion and shared purpose, so we can navigate challenging waters together.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you've prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?

Laura> For me, diversity and inclusion start with the belief that everyone has a seat at the table if they choose to pull up a chair. For the first nine years of our company, we intentionally didn’t have a chief creative officer – not because I didn’t value the role, but because I wanted every team member to feel empowered to contribute to creative ideation. We only recently hired our first CCO, Linda Knight, because she embodies that same philosophy of inclusion and shared ownership in the creative process.

When it comes to hiring, we focus on finding the best people – those with unique passions, perspectives, and life experiences. I’ve seen first hand that the more diverse the human experience within our team, the stronger and more meaningful the work we create together becomes.

LBB> How important is your company culture to the success of your business? And how have you managed to keep it alive with increases in remote and hybrid working patterns?

Laura> Company culture has been central to our success from day one. Even before we formally created the LLC, my co-founder and I made radical generosity the foundation of our culture and our business. Rooted in our faith, this commitment has guided us to give 10% of net profits to charity, to be generous with our employees, and to always work toward a higher purpose.

What I’ve learned is that people are drawn to purpose, not just projects. That’s why our culture has never been limited to the walls of an office – it’s woven into the very DNA of the company. Even with the rise of remote and hybrid work, this foundation of radical generosity continues to connect and inspire our team, no matter where they are.

LBB> What are the most useful resources you've found to help you along your leadership journey?

Laura> Some of the most useful resources in my leadership journey have been data-driven tools like DISC testing and Situational Leadership. At our agency, we use DISC to help identify candidates’ strengths and place them in positions where they can thrive. Situational Leadership has given us a shared language for how leaders and team members communicate, which creates consistency and clarity across the organisation.

These tools have been invaluable because they move us beyond intuition or assumptions. They help us better understand how to coach, lead, and adapt communication to fit the individual. At the end of the day, building a great culture isn’t just about creating a positive environment – it’s about equipping people to achieve results.