Description

Company: Distinction Agency
Owners: Alex Onaindia
Year Started: 2018
Employees: 1-10 

Building a successful agency isn’t just about great creative, it’s about staying sharp behind the scenes. In this episode, Alex Onaindia, CEO and co-founder of Distinction Agency, shares how he built a thriving athlete and influencer marketing firm by combining storytelling with business discipline. From viral NFL moments to pandemic-era pivots, you’ll hear what it really takes to grow and sustain a modern marketing agency.

Key Takeaways

• Why the pandemic was the wake-up call that forced agency owners to think like CEOs
• How to turn a PR crisis into a profitable brand deal (in under 12 hours)
• The biggest mistake Alex made as a first-time founder—and how he fixed it
• How working with elite athletes shapes high-performance agency standards
• The key to balancing creativity and business operations without losing momentum

Details for an agency planning workshop event November 10th and 11th 2025.