13th May 2025
Michael Lebowitz on thinking beyond fame and trends
Episode 28
Michael Lebowitz
Founder & Executive Chairman, SPCSHP
Today’s guest is Michael Lebowitz, Founder and Executive Chairman of SPCSHP – an agency that’s defied trends and labels for 25 years, and been a Harvard Business School case study not once, but twice.
Using the metaphor of a living, breathing organism, Michael describes SPCSHP as a creative canvas, where culture and imagination are more important than rigid labels or passing trends.
We also unpack why values aren’t just something to stick in a creds deck, but a powerful filter for the right clients and talent. And he explains how rituals (even playful ones) reveal more about team health than KPIs ever could.
From resisting the lure of being a ‘hot shop’, to navigating a people-first acquisition by MSQ, this is a masterclass in leading with personal conviction – and playing the long game.
HIGHLIGHTS
[02:05] Before digital was a thing
[04:26] The agency as an organism
[08:27] Leading with values
[11:07] Becoming a solo founder
[15:43] Cultural health is success
[20:01] How values keep you grounded
[24:52] Breadth of creative perspective
[28:11] Being featured by Harvard Business School
[33:29] Why MSQ felt like home
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Episode 65
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Episode 64
Sean McDonald
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Episode 63
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Episode 62
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Mark Figliulo
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