In an industry increasingly defined by purpose as much as performance, few leaders have embedded both as deeply into their agency’s DNA as Jen Sharpe, founder and managing director of Think HQ. With more than 16 years of experience in communications, Sharpe has built a business that goes beyond traditional marketing—one that sits at the intersection of strategy, community engagement, and meaningful social impact.
Under her leadership, Think HQ has championed work that doesn’t just capture attention, but drives real behavioural change, all while staying grounded in authenticity and cultural understanding.
In this edition of Agency Leadership Decoded, Jen shares how her journey as a founder has shaped her leadership philosophy, the values that continue to guide the agency’s growth, and why purpose-led communications must be both intentional and accountable in today’s landscape.
Recalling defining moments of leadership
Speaking about founding Think HQ sixteen years ago, Jen reflected that starting a business was one of the most defining moments in her leadership journey. From her perspective, founding an agency meant drawing a clear line and committing fully to a vision she believed in, regardless of the uncertainties ahead.
“It’s the time where you draw a line in the sand and say – I have a vision and no matter what, I’m going to make it happen. The vulnerability you feel when you take this step is indescribable,” she said.
That uncertainty was certainly measured during the initial five-year period where she was raising kids while trying to keep the business alive.
“That “survival mode” taught me that leadership is about managing energy and momentum rather than just managing time and tasks,” she added.
It was also further tested during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she watched 10 years of hard work start to go down the gurgler.
“I made a decision to fight for what had been built and to fight for a way for the business to survive. Purely through hustle, we ended up being a key part of the Covid solution and doubled as a business in two years,” she said.
Reflecting on all of those challenges, Jen shared, “Looking ahead, my leadership will be the ability to stay strong to our values, vision and strategy – even in a world filled with chaos, change and shifting values. In some respects, despite all the headwind, I’ve never seen a bigger opportunity for the business – but more courage than ever is required to navigate through all the noise and continue to grow.”
Personal visions and maintaining culture
When asked what core values have guided the way she built Think HQ from the beginning, she said that her core vision has always been to contribute positively to people, places, and the planet.
“This isn’t just a marketing slogan – it is the reason I get out of bed every morning. But reflecting these values to me is not just a feel-good approach – it’s really smart business too,” she said.
Jen shared that this is demonstrated by growing the business to a team of over 100 people with significant year-on-year growth.
She also remarked how maintaining agency culture is what she calls a ‘magnificent pain’, and she tries to be as honest as possible about the challenges of scaling, along with the benefits.
“Maintaining culture during growth is what I call a ‘magnificent pain’ because people generally don’t like change, but experiencing it is exhilarating and painful all at once,” she added.
Describing Think HQ’s overall culture, Jen shares that they have a safe and inclusive culture and one that is based on a notion of shared value. Moreover they are largely project based, so the work can be ‘bumpy’.
“When work gets quiet, the business will carry talent through, but there is also the expectation that when the work is there, it needs to get delivered, and delivered well. We’ve also learnt to ask lots of questions and listen from the team. Genuine listening is the only way to address cultural roadblocks,” she added.
Staying relevant
In terms of making strategic decisions that helped Think HQ stay relevant in a rapidly changing communications landscape, Jen shared that the first thing is is to never change their core proposition – that being a values-aligned positive change agency.
“When the global financial crisis hit after Covid, I watched many ‘purpose’-led organisations pivot to focus on a cost-of-living positioning. Our whole existence is enmeshed with our values – so we will never change,” she said.
The second one is diversifying their product and service offering to incorporate a unique mix of through the line services, plus engage all of Australia’s audiences.
“The combination of the two has made for a powerful interconnected business model which is irresistible to clients and provides a huge barrier of entry for competitors,” she added.
Lastly, Jen said that it’s all about doubling down on their commitment to hiring and nurturing not just real talent, but great people – from all walks of life.
“Our diversity is something else that sets us apart, but it hasn’t happened by accident. It’s been an intentional strategy to ensure we reflect what we see on the street,” she noted.
Facing future challenges ahead
With the communications industry facing major shifts with AI, new media ecosystems, and changing audience behaviours, Jen shared that purpose-driven agencies will adapt by staying focused on the ‘why’ while being flexible about the ‘how’.
“AI is a tool, but it can’t replace the lived experience and cultural nuances that our diverse team brings to campaigns and projects. The agencies that survive will be the ones that use technology to amplify human capital rather than replace it,” she explained.
Speaking to the next generation of agency leaders, Jen shared that the most valuable lesson to become a leader is to ‘just do it’. “Don’t wait for a perfect time or a perfect plan because it doesn’t exist.”
Moreover, she emphasises the importance of recognising one’s emotional triggers, stating, “Understand your emotional triggers so that your business decisions aren’t driven by old wounds or a fear of failure.”
Lastly, on a lighter note, she quips, “Finally, be nice to people. Good leadership should be fun, inspiring and inclusive.”
