Often, you hear stories about people who move from small advertising agencies to large ones. "I never thought I'd make it to the 'big time,'" they'll say. "This is better than I ever imagined. It's so great to have clients with big budgets." And on and on...

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	Emily Howard

My experience is just the opposite. I left the second-largest ad agency in the world, located in the ninth-largest American city, to work for a 30-person shop in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This was the best decision I ever made.

For almost six years, I enjoyed a stint at DDB Worldwide in Dallas. It was an amazing experience. I worked on huge accounts like American Airlines, Pepsi-Cola, JCPenney, Merck, and more. Working on these brands really showed me how important it is for messaging to be consistent, to be creatively different, and to be loyal to the company's heritage and future. My bosses were unbelievable mentors. They not only taught me how to be an effective account person but also reinforced how important it is to be a good, honest person.

On a trip home to Albuquerque in 2002, while Christmas shopping with my mom, we drove by the McKee Wallwork Advertising office. I made a mental note to research this agency and find a way to introduce myself. There had always been a silent voice in my head encouraging me to come back to New Mexico, but I knew (or thought I knew) I'd never find a better advertising job there than the one I already had. About six months later, I initiated what would become a two-year conversation with Steve McKee, the agency's co-founder and president.

After this two-year-long conversation, Steve called me bright and early on a Saturday morning in Dallas. He offered me the perfect opportunity to come home and work for McKee Wallwork Cleveland. If I remember correctly, the first words out of my mouth were, "Oh, s*#t!"

I was frozen. I didn't know what to do. Just days before, I had submitted an offer on a house in Dallas. The seller had accepted my offer, and I had only 48 hours to decide if I wanted to purchase the house or not. In other words, I had to decide in two days whether or not I wanted to give up a great job in Dallas or take a chance on a small shop in Albuquerque.

A few hours after Steve's phone call, the initial shock wore off, and I started my "pros and cons" list. It was amazing how quickly the pro-Albuquerque list grew and how the pro-Dallas list didn't. I reviewed my previous MWC research and did some more. I found that the partners were big-brand/big-agency veterans. They were pros, but they chose to live in Albuquerque to enjoy the more laid-back lifestyle. Their client list was commendable—a variety of industries, long relationships, and strong creative. The creative director, Bart Cleveland, was new and ready to take the creative to the next level.

In my two-day decision-making window, Steve and Pat Wallwork (co-founder and media director) happened to be in Dallas for a meeting with a new client. This was crucial because it allowed me to talk with them in person. So we talked on the couch in a hotel lobby near the airport. We started talking about work, but the conversation quickly turned personal. That was okay with me. They wanted to know more about me—not just about my career history and my work. We talked about my love life (or lack thereof at the time). We talked about my family. We talked about how much Albuquerque had flourished in the 12 years since I'd left. We simply talked.

I drove away knowing exactly what I was going to do. I was going home to work for an up-and-coming agency. I was going to be able to have dinner with my parents and my brother on Sundays. I was going to be able to enjoy the moderate year-round sunny weather. To eat red chile enchiladas whenever I felt like it. To shop for turquoise jewelry at lunch. To hike and bike in the forested Sandia Mountains only 15 minutes from downtown. To see my childhood friends more often. To experience the Southwestern art and architecture that I love.

Yes, I would miss my friends in Dallas (and the restaurants and the Mavericks), but I could make new friends. I could work at McKee Wallwork Cleveland, a place that I would help shape and grow. And I could enjoy a better life.

Professionally, I wouldn't be where I am today without the DDB experience. My time at a big agency prepared me to make a more significant impact at a smaller one. At MWC, there are more opportunities for me to work directly with the partners and learn more about the business of advertising. I'm also able to influence the agency process and affect how we do things. It's much more fun to work toward making the overall agency better and bigger, versus just making my accounts bigger and better. I'm part of the building process. I'm not just "working here."

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