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.
Together
- Founders: Rufus Chuter and Kris Hadley
- Year founded: 2018
Tell us the story behind founding your agency.
We were both leaders in holding company media agencies, and both felt the model wasn’t fit for where media was heading. We were working hard, but not feeling like our values aligned with what those global businesses were asking us to do, to prioritise or to “sell”.
We also felt like we’d stopped learning – we’d “run” businesses, but we hadn’t really. Leading a globally owned company is not the same as owning a business.
It was serendipitous really – we’d worked together before, rated each other highly and knew that we had complementary skillsets.
We also wanted the same thing: “To do good work, with good people, for the good of Aotearoa” – that was our mission written on a napkin. We both had enough savings to buy us six months’ grace with our families, but we were overwhelmed with the immediate support we received – from the industry, marketers, people we’d worked with.
Rufus Chuter and Kris Hadley started Together in 2018.
What’s your favourite thing?
Being able to make a meaningful difference for our people and for our clients.
Together isn’t ours any more – it belongs to the 60+ people that work here, and many other people that have added to our story over the last eight years.
To have created something that brings people together, gives them enjoyment, purpose and progression is so rewarding.
In the past 12 months we’ve both had our “most favourite” moments at Together. They aren’t the multiple agency of the year wins, or big pitch successes. It was supporting a senior member of our Innovation & Technology team to buy his family’s first home via our $10k “Ladder Lift” benefit which we give to employees who have been with us for over three years. That, and also seeing our team perform for the first time – and the agency support them – at Battle of the Ad Bands.
Both were moments of reflection and pride where we both went: “If we hadn’t taken that leap, these people wouldn’t be here, laughing, smiling, having this moment together.” Both were very special moments.
Most important thing you’ve learned?
We’ve learned so many lessons – that was one of the big drivers for starting the business.
Overall, we’ve learned that leading a globally owned business isn’t the same as leading a business that’s yours. You lie awake caring about different things. Everyone will say they care, but you really care in a way only other business owners can understand.
Beyond this, we’ve definitely learned (at times the hard way) about the importance of focusing on and managing culture. When we were small it happened organically but as we’ve grown, culture can take on its own shape if you don’t actively manage it.
We went through a few bursts of rapid growth and the feel of the business shifted under us and for the people working in it. We’re now constantly asking ourselves: “Does this feel like the business we originally wanted it to be?”
Best piece of advice you’ve received or given out?
If in doubt, act.
There are so many decisions to make every day. So much changes daily, weekly, monthly. You could tie yourselves in knots overthinking everything.
But better to work at making a decision right than to agonise over making the right decision and lose time. This advice to back ourselves and adopt a bias to action has been invaluable.
Together is a founder member of Agency Directory – find out more about them here.
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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