HE SERVED A TOUR IN KOREA AND A LIFETIME FOR ME.

Some people swear by psychiatrists. Others check astrological charts, farmer’s almanacs, or defer to analytics. Not me.

I never had to look any further than my dad to help me make sense of my future.

Dad knew a thing or two about life. He knew even more about advertising. Unlike most parents who haven’t a clue what their kids are doing in advertising, my dad knew exactly what I was getting into.

He’d been in it for years as Jay Chiat’s partner when I followed him into the business.

My dad was my mentor. My career guide. My compass. He gave me advice. Metric tons of it, in fact, meted out one morsel at a time.

Insights. Counsel. Red flags and watch-outs. Do’s and don’ts.

My father was the fairest person I’ve ever met, almost to the point of fault. A straight shooter in a business forged of Teflon. What he gave to me made all the difference to this otherwise-passable writer.

My dad taught me tenacity. To recognize timing and circumstance. When to swing for the fences and when to concede.

To study the craft and never gloat. To lose with humility and win with humanity. To give clients the benefit of the doubt and to listen between the lines. To understand what people are really saying.

My dad taught not to measure my worth in metal or accolades. To be in it for the long haul. To always problem-solve.

For years, my dad’s advice worked like a charm. And then one day, just over ten years ago, I lost it. Him. My lucky charm. My confidant.

But I resigned myself to remember all the things he gave me. A level of respect for discipline, work ethic, and honor. He wasn’t in it for fame and fortune. He expected the best from people and he gave it back to them. Tips, insights, and yes, even the occasional ethical trick. 

Three years ago, I started putting it all in writing. Everything. 380-plus pages later, I stopped writing, and started editing. I shared it with friends, and my own son, who was threatening to be the third generation of writer to enter into the ad business.

I subsequently started working with my son in a business model we called Two-headed Cam and he appeared to be a much more natural writer than his father. 

Then, something truly interesting happened. An opportunity presented itself and I took a full-time job. I became Chief Creative Mentor of a small agency in Denver, a title created specifically for me, by me.

I think my dad would have approved. I brought my own son aboard to work with me. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for this father/son duo.

Then one day, we had an unexpected setback. An account was scaling back. COVID-19 hit right on the tail end of that news. As we all worked from home I realized how much I missed the ability to focus, and mono-task. And as proud as I was of what we’d accomplished, I knew it was time to go.

To pivot.

To return home, to my 380-plus pages; To restart Two-headed Cam; To pick up where I’d left off before the Denver opportunity revealed itself. 

It was time to return to owning my own time again. To five acres in the hill country of Austin, Texas. To taking my dad’s advice and listening to my gut; To what really matters; Applying what I’ve learned about mentorship more widely and for the benefit of many.

So, where does it come from, this ninja skill we call mentorship?

In my case, it came from my dad, and his advice to seek out knowledge and expertise from all corners of the building.

It’s that experience collected over thirty years that has built me into a much better writer, a highly proficient listener, and an extremely comfortable presenter. 

I certainly could have done worse. (Just ask my high school guidance counselor.)

For those of you who are interested, I’ll be sharing everything I’ve learned through my book, assuming it actually is one. Then again, it might be a series of video modules assembled by subject downloadable through your Applestore or an audio series since my voice is such a finely-tuned instrument.  I haven’t figured that all out yet, but I’ve had a good fourteen months to think about it.

Whatever it will be, will be revealing itself soon. And whatever it becomes, it will become that because of what my dad shared with me.

My dad, who served a tour in Korea and a lifetime on behalf of his eldest son.

Thanks for having my back, dad, through the ups and downs.The recessions and the riots.The layoffs and restructurings.The cross-town shuffles and the cross-country moves.

It’s time to make good on all of that good advice that you, and other mentors gave me. To share your legacy and now my own, with others who can benefit from it. It’s time to complete the loop, full-circle.

This is my memorial to you on Memorial Day. You served me proud. Now it’s my turn to return the favor.

Love you, dad.

Cam

On July 1st, Cameron Day will transition from being Chief Creative Mentor of Amélie Company to being CCM of his entire world. He will also be half of Two-headed Cam, a dual-writer ideation service dedicated to helping small businesses grow and agencies in a bind, by generating ideas that resonate strategically and creatively. Both Cams are damn glad to be back home in Austin, Texas. Perhaps we can problem-solve for you.