From Statement of Work to Wedding Guest

Sometimes, the most unexpected part of working in advertising is accidentally becoming friends with a client. No one tells you that somewhere between the strategy deck and the statement of work, you might find a real one.

It’s happened to me more than a few times. There was Steve S., the client on the Jose Cuervo and Smirnoff accounts, which was already a good start. Then he moved on to Six Flags as Marketing Director… and brought us with him.

Jean O., with whom I first worked launching the first-ever implantable CGM system, Eversense, at Senseonics, was later called when she became Director of Sales, leading and building her sales teams, strategies, and target goals at Daxor Corporation for the BVA-100 blood volume analyzer.

Another was Steve R., CEO of Unovo Orthopaedic Clinic, who started working with me to help build out the marketing and advertising when the clinic was still a set of architectural drawings, a dirt field, and a bold vision.

Then there’s Jeff R., Executive Director of Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, who later became Director of Berkshire Museum, and yes, we kept building together there, too.

There’s a pattern here.

I’d love to say it’s just my sparkling personality. But the truth is simpler: I’m very good at what I do. I’m a strong creative director. I know how to take a complex idea, a complicated product, or a half-formed ambition and shape it into something clear, powerful, and differentiated. I push thinking. I protect the integrity of the work. I make things better.

But just as importantly, I understand client relationships.

I don’t treat meetings like presentations; I treat them like collaborations. I don’t disappear behind the word salad and platitudes. I listen. I challenge. I translate vision into action. And I make sure the work works, for their board, their team, their audience, and their bottom line.

Here’s the thing: everyone gives off a vibe. An energy. I’ve always been attuned to it. You can feel when a client meeting is going to be transactional… and you can feel when it’s going to be electric.

I love waking up knowing I’m about to present to those kinds of clients. The ones who show up prepared. Who challenges you. Who makes the conversation participatory instead of passive. You walk into the room (or the Zoom) knowing it’s going to evolve ideas, sharpen strategies, and deepen, and the “thing” you’re building together will leave better than it arrived.

And yes, I’ll say it, cliché and all: there’s mutual respect Where feedback is candid because trust is solid. Where you can disagree without anyone clutching their pearls. Where laughter sneaks into meetings that should technically be “serious.” Boundaries still exist, but they feel natural, not like barbed wire.

You’re no longer just executing a deliverable. You’re invested in the person. You root for their success even when it has nothing to do with the invoice.

And sometimes, you look around at your wedding guests… or on the boat… or across a dinner table mid–second bottle of wine… and realize that what started as a contract became a friendship.

Of course, not every client becomes a friend, and they shouldn’t. Professional distance is healthy. Necessary. Protective. But when it happens organically, it’s one of the best surprises in business.

Behind every contract is a person. Behind every project is a relationship. And sometimes, behind a professional partnership, there’s the start of a genuine friendship.

And honestly? Those are my favorite deliverables.

Find out how I can help you and your team concept, build, and develop your marketing materials: lisalarson.cd@gmail.com / 646-382-7689.