The Backbone of Creativity: Why Operations Is the Drummer of the Band

In advertising, it’s easy to celebrate the stars, the big-idea generators, the creative visionaries, the client whisperers. They’re the lead singers and guitarists, drawing the spotlight and applause. But one role rarely stands front and centre: operations.
If the agency is a band, operations is the drummer.

Drummers don’t just keep time. They set the rhythm, drive the energy, and create the structure that allows every other musician to shine. Without that steady pulse, the song stumbles. In the same way, operations provide the backbone for everything an agency produces.

Finding My Beat

I moved to Canada from England in 2012. At first, I continued down the account management path, but it didn’t take me long to realise it wasn’t where my strengths or my heart were. What I discovered instead was operations. Specifically, creative resourcing. From there, I climbed the ladder to become VP of operations, and along the way, I found home at ONE23WEST.

Operations gave me the chance to untangle problems, support people, and create the conditions where creativity can thrive.

More Than Process

Creativity is exhilarating, but it’s also messy, unpredictable, and full of moving parts. I love untangling those knots. I love finding solutions that let great ideas breathe, grow, and come to life. Where some might see obstacles, I see puzzles waiting to be solved.

For me, operations have never been just about process and efficiency. It’s about people. Many who have worked with me know I am fiercely protective of the teams I work with. My role is to make their jobs easier, to clear the path for them to do their best work.

Sometimes that means protecting their time. Sometimes it means building structure. And sometimes it means simply being a steady hand when the pressure rises.

The measure of good operations isn’t in a spreadsheet or a workflow chart (although I do love a spreadsheet); it’s in the people who feel supported enough to push their talent and creativity further.

Playing Tight as a Band

In many agencies, operations sit quietly in the background. But make no mistake, without it, the work doesn’t hold together. And in today’s industry, where everything moves faster, where brands fight to break through the noise and connect with genuine feeling, operations are more essential than ever.

At ONE23WEST, we don’t just have talent, we play tight as a band. Account leads shred like lead guitar, creatives take the mic, strategists hold down the bassline, and operations drive the drums.

The agencies that last aren’t just filled with stars; they’re built on rhythm. They’ve got drummers who know when to push, when to pull back, and when to leave space for the solo. That’s why we invest in the operational beat of our business.

Because without the drummer, there is no band. And without the beat, even the best creative work won’t make it to the main stage.