Q&A with Anthony Maitilasso, Founder of The 1220 Agency.

Tell me a little bit about your background and how you ended up choosing your field.

Growing up I was always able to identify quality and potential, regardless of my own opinion. If I didn’t like a certain song or even a product, I still enjoyed watching it’s success. I was intrigued by marketing strategy, current trends and the ability for one new thing to completely shift a part of our culture. For that reason, I became even more interested in knowing why customers and consumers make the decisions that they do, especially when it came to music and other culturally relevant industries. I carried that curiosity with me and found myself in New York for college and eventually at a few incredible jobs around the music industry. Since then, I have had the had privilege of working with more than just musicians but creatives, brands and events of all different kinds.

How do you personally define success? What does it mean to you?

Some may define success by the number in their bank account or their ability to skip a line but for me it’s about global influence. What have you done and what can you do to not only change how the world works but how it looks at things? The world that we live in has enough followers and needs additional thought leaders more so than ever.

What advice would you give to someone asking for advice about becoming an entrepreneur?

Always calculate risk vs reward and don’t actively seek risk in search of that next big break. The best entrepreneurs don’t seek risk, they seek to mitigate it.

What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business’ success?

More so than ever, creatives and businesses understand the value of their brand and the opportunities generated by this digital era. However, many don’t have the time to manage it or the ability to keep up. The 1220 Agency is a special business because we’re not just another marketing company. We’re an agency that can brand you, create with you and develop opportunities that set you apart from your competition, unlike anyone else.

What is the one mantra that you live your life by?

Trust your instincts. There’s a reason why it screams louder than the voice in your head.