DANG’s Post

One Year of DANG. Three Big Lessons. Shruti Dang and I've been reflecting on what it really took to build a new kind of creative entity. One rooted in purpose, powered by community, and guided by the voices of the next generation. Here are 3 lessons I hope will serve you like they served me: 1. Be firm in your intention. Flexible in your model. From Day 1, Shruti and I were clear: we didn’t want to build another agency. We wanted to build a creative entity that actually solved business problems—with creativity at its core. After a decade as a client, I had seen too many agencies sell the same flywheel only to deliver a 30-second spot—one my 6-year-old daughter would probably skip without hesitation. So we built DANG differently. Today, we’ve made content that’s gone viral. Helped HR teams bring Gen Z back into offices with a smile. Designed ambassor programs. And most of all, we built a living, breathing community helping brands create better products, smarter marketing, and deeper connection. Because creativity shouldn’t just live in the output. It should live in how you build the business. 2. Content is everything—but only if it’s meaningful. We treated content like a product. We invested in value. Whether it was helping brands grow audiences, supporting next-gen entrepreneurs, or guiding creatives breaking into the industry. The result? Over 18 million views. 12 million people reached globally on LinkedIn alone. If we want to help our partners unlock content’s potential, we have to prove the model ourselves. 3. Clarify your offering—or the market will confuse it for you. Because we were creating a new category, our early offerings were… everything. After a year of trial, iteration, and listening, we found our answer: our community is the product. Our Next-Gen Multiverse now spans hundreds of locations across the U.S. It’s not just a network—it’s an engine. One that powers campaigns, shapes strategy, and gives our partners front-row access to the future of culture and commerce. To everyone who made this first chapter possible—family, friends, mentors, our advisory board, and the DANG dream team—thank you. For the late-night calls, the hard truths, the shoulder to cry on, and the unwavering belief in what we’re building. Thank you Deena Bahri for encouraging me to tell this story. Shruti Dang Utsav Dang Daniel Barak Carolina Barahona Leny Torejo Estrella Trejo Lindsey Slaby Scott Donaton Marty Muller Jean Batthany Michelle McSorley John Dioso Elaine Underwood Jeanine Poggi James Palma Stephen Larkin Sahil S. Denetrias “Dee” Charlemagne Claire Kwon Jay Haines Mo Said Heidi Cooley Menno Kluin Andrew McKechnie Leslie Dutton Tom Aronson Ross Martin Helen H Pak Emily A. Callahan Alex Ruiz Gordy Gaelle Siobhan Steve Ad Age #OneYearOfDANG #NextGenCentricity #FounderJourney #CreativeLeadership #DangWorld #BuildDifferent #NextGenMultiverse #CreativeWithHeart #ContentThatMatters #BuiltFromCommunity