Ben Walker.
Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, adtech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
Ben Walker: CEO & Chief Doer, The Do Collective
Time in current role/time at the company:
I founded The Do Collective four years ago now.
How would you describe what the company does?
The Do Collective is an independent creative agency driven by a simple belief: don’t just say, do. We help brands move with purpose, turning ambition into action that resonates in culture, delivers in market and creates lasting impact in people’s lives.
What do you do day to day?
As CEO, my day is defined by momentum. Whether it’s unblocking a problem, pushing a project forward or helping a client connect the dots between insight and execution, I’m focused on making things happen.
My days are a mix of big-picture leadership and hands-on involvement; from cracking strategy with the team with the trusty whiteboard, to simply saying “let’s go” when something feels right. I love working directly with clients to solve complex problems and bring ideas to life.
Define your job in one word:
Doer.
I got into the industry because:
I’ve always been drawn to understanding people, what drives them, what they believe in and how brands can tap into that in meaningful ways. I fell into the industry by accident, a suggestion from my uncle to work in an industry that you wouldn’t have to wear suits to work every day, which sounded ideal to me at the time, a diesel jean-wearing post grad. Looking back, it's given me the perfect playground: part psychology, part creativity and hands-on.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Balancing vision with velocity. You have to keep the long view in mind while making fast, smart decisions every day. Clients want answers, teams need direction, and the market doesn’t wait. That’s the challenge and the thrill of leadership in this space.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
The aversion to risk. So many great ideas get sanded down by fear or over-analysis. We need more bravery and more leaders willing to say, “let’s back the idea and make it happen.”
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
The ones who showed up when it mattered like my first boss who told me to always remember to not take this career too seriously and make sure to have fun, I've never forgotten that, and I still pass that advice on! I also had a CEO who didn’t have a door to their office because he said it looked like a divide between him and his staff, so as a CEO, I make sure that it sits with the team and not behind closed doors.
I try to carry that forward every day, and I’ve taken bits from each mentor and applied it with my style.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Don’t wait for permission. Be the person who steps in, solves problems and brings others with you. Stay relentlessly curious, and when you get into a leadership role, lead with empathy, especially when faced with challenges or hardship.
If I wasn’t doing this for a living, I’d be:
Running a coastal hideaway with good wine, better coffee and no email.
Still solving problems, still being hands-on, just for different people!
My philosophy is:
Say yes, then figure it out. And if it’s not meaningful, don’t do it.
My favourite advert is:
Cadbury’s “Gorilla.” Utterly unexpected, deeply emotional and a masterclass in brand storytelling without a single word that’s still spoken about 10+ years on!
Music and TV streaming habits: what do you subscribe to?
Spotify on shuffle all day. Amazon Music for deep dives of artists with the kids.
Paramount + and Netflix for when the brain needs a breather.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I was a childhood actor and stage performer, ranging from theatre productions through to movies, yes Spice World the Movie!
In five years’ time, I'll be:
Still leading. Still learning. Still backing the idea of action and doing work that makes a real difference.
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