On April 1st 2022, Hotglue turned 12 years old — and no, it wasn’t an April Fools joke! We sat down with co-founder Lewis Hearn to reflect on Hotglue’s growth and where he sees the agency in the future.

Tell us, how did the name Hotglue come to be?

In the previous agency we worked in, we were always referred to as 'the glue' by our clients. Our team was responsible for bringing creative, PR, digital, media, activations and marketing together to deliver successful campaigns. When we were developing our current business model, we used a working title of 'the glue', however when it came to deciding on the final agency name we came across 'Hotglue' which by definition is "the only adhesive than can bring any two surfaces together in an unbreakable bond"....the rest is history!

Looking back over the 12 years, what are some of your proudest moments in the Hotglue journey?

It's been an incredible 12 years and I've got many proud moments ranging from client wins through to business growth, however, I think I'm most proud of the fact that we are an employer of choice and were nominated in the top 10 best places to work for the media and marketing industry by our staff.

We've got an incredible team of talented individuals at Hotglue which continue to drive our business forward. I'm also very proud of the fact that we managed to grow the business throughout COVID lockdowns, which again is testament to the dedicated people and processes we have in the business.

What are some of your learnings after over a decade growing the business?

There are many lessons that you learn along the way when you start and build a business, but the first three that come to mind are:

1. It doesn't happen overnight, it takes hard work along with a lot of blood sweat and tears...we're still learning 12 years down the track!

2. People are the key to success, so attracting and retaining talent who add to the culture and performance of the business is important.

3. Relationships and trust are incredibly important, both internally with our management team and externally with client partners.

Where do you see Hotglue in the next 12 years?

The future is exciting however over the next 12 years, I would like to see Hotglue continue to grow and thrive as one of Australia's leading independent media, content and social agencies.