As a media person, going indie was the best decision I've ever made
I know this is a YMMV situation, but holy shit. I left the holdco world back in January, and it's been night and day.
Things aren't perfect. Far from it, actually. But the challenges are better. I worked for two of the holding companies and each felt like we were fighting ourselves. We were intentionally understaffing. We weren't investing. Decisions took buy-in from 18 people. We were promising so much we knew we couldn't deliver. Clients were constantly angry because we were underdelivering, but the decisions to underdeliver were made by people nowhere near the client.
At the indie I ended up at, we have far fewer resources. Fewer big name tools. Processes are broken. But if we underdeliver, it isn't because someone in finance ops won't let us open a role, it's because someone screwed up. I know who that someone is. I know why. I know the process we need. I know to improve pacing documents, or reporting. I don't need to ask 18 people to do this, I just get it done.
I was afraid to leave the holding companies, especially since pay was a bit better, but job security at them is long gone. It is probably for the whole industry, but that sticking point was no longer there for me. I like being back somewhere where I feel like I can make a difference for clients and I can go to sleep knowing what I actually achieved that day instead of feeling like I was plugging a hole the c-suite was drilling into the hull of our ship.