Their Agency Started with a Mattress and a Band - Citizen Advertising

Company: Citizen Advertising
Owners: C.J. Ogle and Brent Matthews
Year Started: 2008
Employees: 1-10 

What happens when two lifelong friends and former musicians stumble into the world of marketing? In this episode, CJ Ogle and Brent Matthews of Citizen Advertising share how an in-house project turned into a full-service agency. Their story is packed with lessons on slow growth, intentional culture, and serving small businesses with big impact.

Inside This Episode:

• The hiring gamble that almost backfired (and what saved it)
• Why a long runway might be your agency’s biggest advantage
• How Citizen Advertising keeps its team culture strong without micromanagement
• Why working with small businesses brings outsized rewards
• The surprising role their former boss played in helping them grow