We recently connected with Gay Gaddis and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Gay thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

As legendary football coach Darrell K. Royal would often say, “Dance with the one who brung you.” This is a saying that I have adopted through the years, especially when it comes to customer appreciation. I tried to stay true to my supporters, the ones who stood by us early on, as my company started to catapult to national prominence. In other words, don’t fix that which isn’t broken.

From the beginning, I never wanted T3 to be a traditional advertising agency. I wanted it to be a marketing think tank, and that’s where T3 got its name (The Think Tank). I saw too many businesses trying to solve complicated challenges with another ad, when what they really needed was deeper strategic thinking. To accomplish this, I built teams made up of people not traditionally found in advertising agencies—architects, psychologists, strategists, and presentation experts—each bringing a different perspective to the table. That diverse thinking allowed us to bring clients innovative solutions that extended far beyond advertising.

One of the earliest examples of this philosophy came when we began working with Dell. They initially asked us to help fix problems with their direct marketing database. We made recommendations for short-term improvements and long-term vendor consolidation. But we did not stop there. We returned with what I called our Trojan horse—creative direct mail campaign ideas they never asked for but that we believed would improve their results. They tested our ideas, the campaigns performed extremely well, and the relationship quickly expanded into significantly more complex and rewarding work. That experience reinforced my belief that bringing clients solutions they never requested is one of the most powerful ways to build trust and long-term partnerships.

Showing gratitude was a cornerstone of my advertising agency, T3’s success. Beyond helping clients address their advertising and marketing issues at the companies where they worked, it meant helping them grow as individuals and in their careers. Over the years, we frequently helped clients brainstorm strategies beyond the “ask.” We created presentations for them and built prototypes to help them secure internal approval for new initiatives. When you don’t expect credit for these actions, you build trust and respect.

Client appreciation, in my view, also means helping clients succeed as individuals. Over the years, we frequently helped clients develop presentations, brainstorm strategy, or build prototypes to help them secure internal approval for new initiatives. I learned that one of the most meaningful things you can do for someone is to help them succeed without taking credit. That goodwill always returned to us, often in ways far greater than we could have anticipated.

Competing against large agencies required us to be more agile, more creative, and more personally invested in our clients’ success. Our willingness to step beyond the assignment, offer bold new ideas, and genuinely help clients achieve their goals transformed T3 from a service provider into a trusted partner. In many ways, our success came down to a simple philosophy: appreciation is not expressed through words alone, but through ideas, initiative, and a relentless commitment to helping clients win.

Much of this out-of-the-box thinking grew directly from my experiences as a business owner and entrepreneur, and it has become a cornerstone of what I teach in my leadership programs at the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. I share my own stories—the wins, the mistakes, the risks, and the extraordinary rewards that come with leading a business—because real leadership is learned through lived experience. I also bring in the voices and lessons of world-renowned business owners and C-suite executives who graciously and openly share their journeys, challenges, and breakthroughs.

“Women Who Mean Business” is designed for seasoned female executives and entrepreneurs who are striving for top leadership roles in their industries. “Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership Program” is created for exceptional undergraduate students who are just beginning to chart their professional paths. Both programs are built around practical, real-world solutions delivered by proven leaders who share honest stories like these—lessons about innovation, resilience, courage, and the power of bringing ideas forward before anyone even asks.

Gay , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 1989, I founded T3 (The Think Tank), an innovative digital advertising agency that grew into the largest female-owned advertising agency in the United States under my leadership of more than 30 years, with offices in Austin, New York, Atlanta, and San Francisco. In 2019, I sold T3 to a leading private equity firm.

Today, I focus my always-on energy on empowering entrepreneurs and the next generation of business leaders to take bold leaps in their careers and lives. I am professional speaker on women’s leadership, company culture, and entrepreneurship, and the author of “Cowgirl Power: How to Kick Ass in Business & Life,” which shares insights and real-world examples on developing personal power and leading fearlessly.

I previously served as the first female Chairman of the Texas Business Leadership Council and as Chairman of The Committee of 200 (C200), a premier women’s business organization advancing women’s leadership. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Texas Cultural Trust and am an immediate past board member of Monotype Imaging Holdings, Inc.

I am deeply involved with The University of Texas, where I have served as President and Chair of the Board of Directors of Texas Exes, the university’s official alumni association. I also serve on the Dean’s Advisory Council to the McCombs School of Business and advise both the College of Fine Arts and the Moody College of Communication.

I own the historic Double Heart Ranch in the Texas Hill Country, home to my private art studio and gallery, Fossil Ridge. My bold, vibrant paintings have been exhibited in prestigious galleries nationwide, including New York City and Santa Fe, earning recognition from Texas Monthly as one of “10 Artists to Collect Now.”

A regular contributor to Forbes, I have received numerous awards, including the University of Texas Distinguished Alumni Award, the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame Award, the Liz Carpenter Lifetime Achievement Award, Fast Company’s Top 25 Women Business Builders, Inc. Magazine’s Top 10 Entrepreneurs of the Year, and C200’s Luminary Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

Educating future leaders remains central to my work. I am the founder and instructor of two leadership programs at the McCombs School of Business: “Women Who Mean Business,” a development program for female executives and entrepreneurs, and “Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership,” designed for exceptional undergraduate students.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Lynn Utter is co-founder of my women’s development program, “Women Who Mean Business” at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. We met many years ago on an inspiring trip we took together as member of a national women’s organization, C200 (The Committee of 200). Lynn was the perfect co-founder/instructor as I bring the view of an entrepreneur and Lynn brings a corporate executive’s perspective.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I published a newsletter twice a month, entitled “True Grit.” Each edition begins with an opening letter, personal experience or story with leadership insights, advice and guidance. Then there’s a media which can be a free recording of a leadership discussion, keynote or podcast recording or a short social video clip. I end every newsletter with a piece of artwork that speaks to the theme of the newsletter or clarifies what I’m working on or pondering as a female business leader.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gaygaddis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaygaddis/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GayGaddisT3
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaygaddis/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gaygaddis8056
• Other: gaygaddisart.com – my art website
  doubleheart.com – my ranch website

Image Credits

Photos by celebrity photographer, Mark Seliger