You Picked Talent Over Leadership

May 7, 2025

and that’s why it’s not working.

I’ve been in advertising and creative production long enough to see the landscape shift, tilt, and collapse over and over again.

I’ve weathered the industry’s highs and lows, and I’ve watched wave after wave of new talent enter the scene—armed with a camera, an Adobe subscription, and an LLC. These days, anyone can start a marketing company. The barrier to entry is laughably low. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—but it does create a problem.

The market gets flooded. Not just with new players, but with a wave of confusion for the business owner looking for a true ad professional. And for someone like me—someone who’s been doing this for over a decade—the real challenge isn’t whether I can do the job. It’s whether I can cut through the noise to even get the conversation.

I didn’t start Bahlr because it was trendy. I didn’t open up shop because I thought I could make quick money. I did it because I had a set of skills and I wanted to use them well. In the beginning, I was a solid designer. A capable editor. A good creative. But I didn’t yet know how to fuse those abilities with real business goals. I hadn’t learned how to sit across from an entrepreneur and translate their stress into strategy. I hadn’t earned the experience yet.

Now I have.

The difference between me and most people in this business is awareness. Not just of what I do well—but of what I don’t. Of what clients actually need. Of what business owners are really trying to solve when they hire someone like me. That’s a perspective only time gives you. And if I’m being honest, it’s a perspective many of the younger generation of creatives just don’t have yet. They’re talented—but they’re not grounded in the same way. They haven’t felt the weight of payroll, of mortgage payments, of raising a family and still making the right call for a client when everything’s on the line.

I’m a father. A husband. A lifelong resident of Coeur d’Alene. This isn’t just a creative pursuit to me. It’s life. My reputation, my income, and my family’s future are built into every project I touch. That changes how I work. That changes how I treat people. That changes what I’m willing to say no to—and what I’ll pour everything into.

I’m not here to compete with someone who just bought their first DSLR last week and is charging $500 for a video. I’m not trying to be the cheapest option. I’m trying to be the most effective partner you’ve ever had. Because what I do works. Period.

The problem is never whether my work performs. It does. It has for years. The real uphill battle is educating small business owners that this work is worth it. That you don’t just flip a switch and watch leads roll in. That marketing, branding, storytelling—these are long plays, with real ROI when done right. That’s what I’ve perfected. That’s where I live.

And yet, I find myself still swimming through the seaweed of this saturated space. Still proving my value to people who’ve been burned by someone who offered them a logo and a website for $250 and disappeared six months later.

So what’s the next chapter?

I’m ready for higher-level relationships. For companies and brands who are done guessing. Who want clarity, strategy, execution—and peace of mind. I’m not just a creator. I’m a producer. A director. A decision-maker who can confidently guide a business through the ever-complicated maze of advertising, media, and messaging.

If Boeing called tomorrow and handed me their entire advertising budget, I would take it—without hesitation. Not because I want to do it all myself, but because I know how to build the team, shape the message, direct the work, and make sure it gets done right. And more than anything, because I know how to make that client feel safe. I know how to make them feel like they can breathe again.