For some people, career success means rising up in a company to senior management over the course of years. For others, it might mean a dramatic shift in professions. And for some, it means taking the years of experience working for a company and applying that to an entrepreneurial startup. They leverage market knowledge and take the leap to run their own companies, not work for someone else’s. That’s the case with Joe Stella and BackPocket Agency. Stella spent more than 20 years working in marketing and content roles, including 14 of them at GLC, the 56-year-old marketing communications company.
Then last year, Joe and a former GLC colleague, Rene Ryan, founded BackPocket Agency, a marketing agency that specializes in telling brand stories, according to its website. BackPocket’s services run the gamut: Communications, strategy, content development, website development, digital services. Stella is the CEO, Ryan is the COO.
We interviewed Joe exactly two years ago in a Fox Tales conversation, and with the creation of BackPocket Agency, we thought it was a great time for getting caught up. Here’s our conversation.
Fox Tales: Tell us about the genesis of BackPocket Agency. When and why.
Joe Stella: BackPocket began with a simple idea. Great marketing doesn’t come from massive teams or endless layers of process, but from small groups of people who genuinely care about each other, their clients, and the stories they tell together.
We wanted to create an agency where talented people could do meaningful work for mission-driven organizations while feeling supported, empowered, and inspired. Even though we just celebrated our first year, we like to think of ourselves as the most experienced startup you’ve ever worked with because we’ve all worked together for 10 years, on average.
Fox Tales: You and your co-founder, Rene Ryan, the chief operating officer, were both at GLC for a pretty long time. What led to the entrepreneurial jump?
Joe Stella and Rene Ryan.
Stella: Rene and I have worked side by side at multiple agencies for nearly two decades, including many great years at GLC. Over that time, we gained the kind of big-agency experience that shapes how you think strategically and deliver at scale, but we also saw how clients increasingly valued the agility, empathy, and personal connection that only smaller teams can offer.
We saw an opportunity to create something with the strategic depth and expertise of a large agency, delivered with the care, responsiveness, and partnership of a boutique.
Fox Tales: Was there a market opportunity, in the sense that some service wasn’t being delivered well?
Stella: Clients would often tell us how the most experienced thinkers on their account were gradually replaced by junior tacticians. We wanted to flip that model—ensuring our clients always have direct access to seasoned strategists who bring not just results, but fresh perspective and genuine partnership.
Many clients were looking for a full-service agency, but with the access, speed, and accountability (and fun!) of a smaller team.
Fox Tales: What would you say is BackPocket Agency’s core skill, or wheelhouse product.
Stella: We’re strategic storytellers—people who blend data, insight, and creativity to deliver marketing that resonates. It’s storytelling grounded in strategy and fueled by personalization, relevance, and emotional connection.
We help brands define who they are, why they matter, and how to express that consistently across every touchpoint. That might take the form of a content program, a digital experience, an event, a podcast, or a publication—but the throughline is always the same: Clarity of purpose and message.
Fox Tales: Are you specialized on content marketing, or more broadly, a full array of marketing services?
Stella: I’m not sure there’s even a clear line anymore. Isn’t all marketing, at its core, content? Our roots are in storytelling: Long-form, narrative, brand-driven work that builds meaning and connection.
Over time, that foundation has naturally evolved into a full-spectrum marketing practice. Today, we handle everything from content strategy and campaign development to web design, digital experience, and brand consulting.
Fox Tales: What does the market/your customers need most right now?
Stella: Many of our clients are in the nonprofit and association space. These organizations have already earned deep trust through their work, advocacy, and thought leadership. But the landscape is shifting. Associations are under increasing pressure to both retain long-time members and attract new, younger audiences who engage and communicate differently.
In trying to reach everyone, many organizations risk diluting their message. Our focus is on helping them find clarity—to tell a sharper, more authentic story about who they are, why they matter, and the role they play in their industry or profession.
Fox Tales: How is your business performing?
Stella: Thanks to strong client relationships and industry partners who believed in what we were building, we came out of the gate strong. In our first year, while putting the right processes, tech stack, and team in place, we also onboarded more than 20 clients—and basically hit the ground running.
We also spent a good part of that first year on the road, connecting with friends and colleagues at conferences, getting involved in the community, and giving back through volunteer work. That energy has fueled real momentum.
Along the way, we’ve been honored with several awards, including the Maya Breakthrough Culture Award, which means the most to us because it’s based entirely on feedback from our own team. It’s a reflection that we’re creating the kind of culture we set out to build. And we’re also proud that our chief strategy officer, Michelle Jackson, was named Content Marketer of the Year by the Women in Content Marketing Awards. Both are meaningful and confirm for us that we’re building something special.