My Biggest Lesson: Carter Weitz

Since 1991, Carter Weitz has helmed Bailey Lauerman’s creative department and has been a member of the firm’s executive management team. Under Carter’s leadership, the agency transformed from a regional shop into a highly competitive destination agency known for its creative firepower and national client roster.

Carter has successfully brought powerful design and meticulously crafted visual systems to the development of highly conceptual and enduring work across a multitude of marketing applications and consumer touchpoints. He leads a talented staff of creative professionals who have developed integrated campaigns for some of America’s most iconic brands, including Disney, AMC Theatres, Pepsi, GE, Bosch, Bass Pro Shops, Conagra Foods, Panda Express, Phillips 66, TD Ameritrade and Union Pacific. Prior to moving into the chairman’s seat in 2013, he spent a number of years serving as the agency’s president.

There is one piece of wisdom from my career that's always stayed with me and it was humbling. It changed my perspective early on and I’ll be forever grateful. Here it is, nice and simple: Don’t act like you know what you don’t. You can try, but in this business you’re probably not fooling anybody.

I received this candid 30,000-foot perspective early in my art director career, literally at 30,000 feet. It happened on a flight from Kansas City to Chicago following a photo shoot for Walmart featuring a new automotive product. It was one of my very first television productions, and the well-experienced director and I were on our way to the Windy City to finish off the spot.

At the time, I was with Bernstein-Rein in Kansas City. The agency was teeming with life and operating at full throttle. The day before the shoot, I was called into the office of Dick Jennings, vice president and creative director. He informed me that something had come up and that he was not able to attend any of the production. He also mentioned that my writing partner was needed on other projects. As I was walking out of the room, I remembered his words, “Do whatever you need to do to make it great.” As a very junior creative staff member, I felt proud to have his vote of confidence and the responsibility squarely in my hands. I carried that with me all the way to the location the next morning. On that one-day shoot I was emboldened to make my mark. 

Halfway through that flight to Chicago the following day, still feeling great with how well things had gone the day before, I felt a nudge from the film director sitting next to me. He asked if he could give me some candid advice. I put the in-flight magazine I was reading into the back-of-the-seat pocket in front of me and turned to listen to what he had to say. It was brief and to the point, “When you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t try to fake it.” He went on to explain that the advertising business is particularly gentle on newbies and that you’re always better off admitting what you don’t know. Someone with more experience will always be there to help guide you.  

Initially I was shocked and borderline offended. It was certainly unexpected. But then I quickly realised he was right. I went from flying at 30,000 feet to ground level instantaneously. Sitting in that airline seat, looking back on how I had conducted myself the day before left me feeling pretty foolish. I was just glad Dick wasn’t there to witness the whole thing. In that moment, on that flight, I was taught the lesson that making something great starts with admitting what you don’t know. It makes the work better and saves a lot of embarrassment.

That straightforward advice gave me the opportunity to experience just how gracious and helpful skilled and accomplished people in this industry are. It brought me back down to earth, tempered the air pressure of my inflated young ego and moved me in a direction that actually accelerated my professional growth. Put into practice, I found out that admitting what you don’t know can be truly enlightening. I was lucky enough to be ‘redirected’ early in my career.

Of course, after 37 years in this business, I’m still amazed at how little I know and how much others around me have to teach me.

“Don’t act like you know what you don’t.” When you don’t understand something, there’s no use in pretending you do. It’s the first bit of advice I’ll often give to an advertising rookie. It gets its fair share of blank stares.