In the June-August 2026 issue of NZ Marketing magazine, we asked agency founders to tell us the story behind why they started their agency, their favourite thing, what they’ve learned and their best advice.
MoMac
- Founder: Ryan McDonald
- Year founded: 2017
Tell us the story behind founding your agency.
I have always wanted to turn my hobby of creating videos into a business, but in a way that suited my lifestyle.
I didn’t want to go down the path of weddings, mainly because I didn’t want to work every weekend. At the same time, I saw a gap in the market for good-quality business videography, and so MoMac began in my parents’ living room, learning as I went.
Over time, opportunities started to come in, and as things picked up, I was lucky to bring some great people on board, which allowed us to expand into web development as well.
Eventually, my parents wanted their space back, so I renovated part of an old house into an office. It wasn’t anything flash, but it was a big step forward and helped us expand into a full-service creative agency with digital marketing, graphic design and, more recently, print production.
What’s your favourite thing about running your own agency?
For me, my favourite thing about running my own agency is winning jobs. The element of competition, being chosen by clients and knowing they have confidence in our ability to deliver what they need. Earning their trust and then fulfilling our promises is a real buzz.
From a people management perspective, one of the most rewarding parts of MoMac has been giving people the opportunity to work in an industry they love and helping them grow. Identifying people’s strengths has been a really fulfilling part of the journey.
For example, Michael, our lead web developer, actually started while he was still in high school, working after school and learning on the job. Over time, that grew into a real career pathway, and he was able to buy into the business in his early 20s, allowing me to share the responsibilities and solving problems together.
Likewise, bringing Merrin on as our operations manager was also a game changer. She didn’t come from an agency background, but I could see she had potential because she’s hardworking, tough, loyal, trustworthy and very smart.
Another fulfilling part of the job is the daily, small moments where I feel I’ve made a positive impact on someone. There is also very little weekend work which was one of my initial goals, but honestly, I genuinely love coming to work and look forward to getting back into it every Monday morning.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?
As our clients have grown, we’ve had to level up.
If we stick with the status quo, we risk being left behind. It means we need great people, invest in them and stay ahead of trends.
For me, investing in people is key. I believe in leading by example, while trusting my team to do what they do best. A big part of that is giving people space to try things. It’s OK if things don’t go to plan because the real learning comes from being comfortable with failure and having support around it.
Everyone has different strengths and motivators, so we can’t expect the same from everyone. The goal is to create an environment that encourages growth, builds confidence and pushes people to be the best they can be.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or given out?
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve come across is from Steve Jobs: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards.”
It’s something I like to anchor myself to. We can’t predict the future, but when we look back, we can see how everything connects and how different decisions and experiences have shaped where we are. It also makes you realise there are always other paths you could have taken, but you only see that clarity in hindsight.
So for me, it’s about trusting the path ahead even when it feels uncertain, and having enough self-belief that things will work out in their own way. Doing hard things has always been important in that process. There’s no real learning without challenge, and growth often comes from pushing through discomfort.
When I started MoMac, I had no background in running a marketing agency and no idea how to do it. But I knew what I enjoyed and what I was passionate about. The shift into becoming an agency happened organically as the business grew, and in many ways, it came down to trusting that process.
Anything else we should know?
In 2025, we expanded MoMac again by purchasing Create Design Studio in Rangiora, which was a bit of a big boy move for us.
It was a real test for me professionally and for the business, because it wasn’t fully in my skillset and I’ve had to learn a lot along the way. It also came with a lot more responsibility, but equally a lot more opportunity.
The goal behind the acquisition was to better serve our clients by offering both digital and print marketing under one roof. There were two key drawcards for us. Firstly, it gave us greater access to more of our clients’ marketing budgets by expanding what we could deliver. Secondly, it made MoMac a one-stop shop, making it easier for clients to manage their marketing in one place.
The idea is simple: if we can do a good job in marketing and web, we can also do a good job in print. It’s about trust, expanding our services and continuing to grow the team around that.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 87, June-August 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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