Elliott Phear founded Night After Night after his stint at MTV. At the network, he worked on several projects, such as writing, developing, and producing programs that showcased the biggest names in music and entertainment.
With Night After Night, Elliott Phear works with people and businesses, enabling them to tap into the specific qualities that make them unique, so that they can live up to their fullest potential. His “head for business” and “heart for creativity” allows brands to build emotional connections with their audiences, and “achieve their growth objectives in the process.”
Elliott Phear built Night After Night as an agency that is “dedicated to helping brands connect with consumers when they’re most open—in the off-hours.” The agency puts businesses in the best positions for success “through strategic planning, talent partnerships, an in-house content studio and an always-on approach to engagement.”
For the last several years, Elliott Phear and Night After Night have “developed and managed marketing programs that have helped add hundreds of millions of dollars worth of value to their clients businesses.”
Thanks to his work at Night After Night, Elliott Phear has also become an in-demand resource speaker. His topics include “How brands can create a killer content studio, how to run a spirits brand, bootstrapping as a dual entrepreneur, and how the learnings from a highly regulated industry like the spirits category can apply to newer industries like cannabis.”
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Trust your gut. Elliott Phear, Night After Night
Jerome Knyszewski: What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Elliott Phear: We’re a marketing agency called Night After Night. We have two bars in our office. Our team is very close-knit, and we specialize in helping our clients develop marketing strategies that connect with young people when they’re at their most open — in the night.
Jerome Knyszewski: Often leaders are asked to share the best advice they received. But let’s reverse the question. Can you share a story about advice you’ve received that you now wish you never followed?
Elliott Phear: I created a TV show once and was working with someone more experienced than I was. I wanted to do one thing, and they wanted to do another. I thought, ‘They must know what they’re talking about.’ But, as Ricky Gervais says, ‘No one else knows what they’re doing either.’ Trust your gut. If you have a creative idea, that’s the time to stick to your guns and stay true to your vision.
One way to create a successful business is to make something absolutely special, something that makes people think ‘wow!’
Jerome Knyszewski: You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Elliott Phear:
- Patience — Things are never as good or bad as they seem. Wisdom says: persevere, pay attention, and adapt. That’s patience in business, and it usually works.
- Being a good listener — This is the best management and sales tool known to man. Make your people and your customers feel understood, and anything is possible.
- Creative. My favorite Tom Petty quote is when he’s asked to give advice to young artists. He says, ‘Yeah, man… make something of quality.’ One way to create a successful business is to make something absolutely special, something that makes people think ‘wow!’.
Jerome Knyszewski: Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Elliott Phear: Our agency was named after our belief that great things happen at night when we can ‘do the things we love with the people we love.’ Part of that means unplugging from work and media and also taking a break from the hustle. I’d suggest to my colleagues that restoring yourself over dinner with friends, at a live music show, or at your favorite local brewery are key to conquering the day. These things are a big part of what makes us feel connected as humans — to life and each other — and, on top of recommending time off the clock to my peers, I also encourage everyone on our team to take the time they need to relish their ‘off-hours.’
People in business shouldn’t be so lacking in humanity. Elliott Phear
Jerome Knyszewski: What are the most common mistakes you have seen CEOs & founders make when they start a business? What can be done to avoid those errors?
Elliott Phear: Entrepreneurship has gotten a bad rap in the last several years, I think because of ‘bro-y’ tech culture. And where has that gotten us? People in business shouldn’t be so lacking in humanity.
Jerome Knyszewski: In your experience, which aspect of running a company tends to be most underestimated? Can you explain or give an example?
Elliott Phear: Sales. Everything is based on sales. It’s not cool to talk about sales, though. People think it’s crass. People want to talk about purpose and meaning. And those things are fine. But I’d take sales over purpose and meaning any day of the week.
Jerome Knyszewski: How can our readers further follow you online?
Elliott Phear: Sign up for my newsletter here, follow my agency on Twitter @TheNightAgency or on Instagram or LinkedIn @WeAreNightAfterNight.
Jerome Knyszewski: This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this!
