They say it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to build a career. No one succeeds alone – not in life, not in business and certainly not in the dynamic, ever-evolving world of media. The best professionals I know are shaped by the people around them – teachers, mentors, colleagues and yes, even the difficult ones who show us who we never want to become. 

It’s easy to thank the great leader, the generous, the inspiring, the ones who bring out your best. But the truth is, I’ve learnt just as much from the opposite. From poor leadership, from a lack of empathy, from environments that prized ego over integrity. Those experiences taught me what I would never replicate. They gave me clarity about my values and they shaped how I wanted to lead. I’ve been the best of me because I’ve seen the worst and I’ve learnt to choose better.

At the same time, I’ve been lucky to stand on the shoulders of greatness. I’ve had people around me whose insight, creativity and quiet brilliance have made me sharper, wiser and better. I’ve worked with those who challenged me when it mattered, who trusted me before I trusted myself and who reminded me that growth happens not in isolation but in connection.

Australians understand that better than most. Ours is a culture built on community on mateship and collaboration. Whether it’s a neighbour lending a hand after a storm, a local footy team rallying together or a group of colleagues pulling through a tough pitch, we understand the power of shared effort. That sense of togetherness is part of our national identity and it’s what makes great businesses and great people, thrive.

In any strong team, there’s a shared understanding that everyone brings something different to the table. The strategist who reframes the question. The creative who makes an idea soar. The data analyst who finds the thread of truth in the numbers. The account manager who keeps everyone grounded. Each one contributes something that the others can’t. When that kind of collective energy is working, it doesn’t just deliver great work, it builds trust, momentum and a sense of belonging.

At Bastion, that philosophy runs deep. Our ambition is to be the most successful independent media agency in the world, not just in size, but in spirit. Independence, to us, means doing things differently. It means making decisions guided by people and profit. It means fostering teams that are united by purpose but fuelled by diversity, not just in background, but in thought. We look for people who think differently, who bring new perspectives, who challenge us to see things another way. Cognitive diversity, as it’s often called, isn’t just a buzzword, it’s how you create innovation that lasts.

But alignment matters too. We’re not looking for clones but we are looking for people who share a north star. A belief that creativity and strategy, when done with integrity and intent, can shape culture for the better. The kind of people who are curious, grounded, resilient and generous. Who understand that success isn’t about being the loudest in the room but about lifting the collective standard.

I’ve always believed the best professionals share five traits: empathy, curiosity, accountability, generosity and resilience. Empathy allows us to lead and listen with understanding. Curiosity keeps us learning. Accountability makes us reliable. Generosity reminds us to give back – to ideas, to our teams and to the industry. And resilience keeps us steady when things don’t go to plan. These aren’t just professional skills; they’re human qualities. And they’re what separate good teams from great ones.

Every one of us, in this industry and beyond, is standing on the shoulders of someone else. The pioneers who built agencies from scratch, the leaders who took creative risks, the ones who chose found the balance between people and profit and passion over comfort. The Australian agency landscape has been shaped by countless individuals who believed independence wasn’t just a business model but a mindset one defined by integrity, resourcefulness and grit.

To stand on those shoulders is a privilege. But it’s also a responsibility. We owe it to the next generation to build something even stronger.  To mentor, to include, to keep making space for new voices. To show that leadership isn’t about hierarchy but about contribution. Independence doesn’t mean standing alone, it means being accountable to something bigger than yourself.

Ultimately, that’s what we are striving for, what we all should be striving for – to leave the industry better than we found it. At Bastion, that means creating an environment where people can be ambitious and human at the same time. Where success is measured not only by growth, but by the impact we have on people and communities around us.

We want to prove that the things Australians value most, fairness, integrity, creativity, collaboration, aren’t just moral ideals, they’re competitive advantages. And if, along the way, we help shape a media industry that’s more inclusive, more thoughtful and more connected than before, then we’ve done our job.

Because in the end, success isn’t about standing alone at the top. It’s about the shoulders that helped you get there and the ones you build for those who’ll climb after you.