A Quick Holiday Note (and a Five-Year Reflection)

A Quick Holiday Note

…and a five-year reflection.

The ask usually starts as “build us the thing.” Two weeks later it’s, “Now how do we get the right people to it, at the right moment, and know it’s working?”

Insurgency is marking it's fifth year. We started during the pandemic because clients had urgent digital problems and needed real help, fast. We assumed we were a build shop with some creative. Five years in, it’s clearer where we shine.  

We’re not an agency. We’re an insurgency.  

What that’s meant in practice is strategy first, then building what’s needed to make the strategy real. Sometimes that’s a site or landing experience. Sometimes it’s getting Meta and Google tightened up so spend isn’t drifting. Sometimes it’s the cadence around email and SMS so the work doesn’t stop at the click.The core hasn’t changed: solve the problem in front of us. What has changed is the type of problem that shows up after the first win. Better traffic exposes a weak offer. Stronger leads expose a messy handoff to sales. Higher conversion exposes fulfilment and post-purchase gaps. Progress is useful like that.  

Friction Points

A few friction points still show up:

• E-commerce teams arguing about who gets credit for the sale. Customers don’t care. They want it easy, priced reasonably, delivered cleanly, and supported after checkout.
  
• “Get me leads” followed by “wrong leads.” Often the bottleneck isn’t the platform. It’s the offer, the follow-up, or the sales approach.
  
• I am spending the money as suggested – when should I expect to see the result?

Our “Core Plus More” model still holds up because it’s built for reality: experienced people on the core, plus specialists when the work demands it. No theatre. No mystery teams.

Client/Partner Collaborations

Some of the teams we’ve had the chance to work alongside:  

Special thanks to those who’ve brought Insurgency into new clients: Jamey Gordon (LGG Group), Zach Kellum (The Department), and of course Jed Schneiderman and Jordan Gracey.

If you or your organization need support or outside thinking, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Practical Takeaway for 2026

One practical takeaway to carry into 2026: before you build, brief, or spend: Put a number on what “working” means.

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Happy Holidays from Insurgency!

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