What started as a side project in 2020 turned into one of Canada's fastest-growing creative agencies.

What's inside this episode:

→ Why most agencies overcomplicate strategy and underdeliver on results

→ The biggest mistakes founders make when they try to grow on social media

→ Where Maddie thinks content, AI, and the platforms are heading next

→ What it actually takes to build a remote creative team that performs

About Maddie Thompson:

Maddie Thompson is the founder of MAD Social Agency. A 30 Under 30 honoree, ranked Top 1% in Digital Marketing in Canada and Top 2% worldwide. She built MAD from her apartment in Winnipeg into a multi-city creative agency that's worked with 400+ businesses across North America.

About MAD Social Agency:

MAD is a creative agency specializing in marketing strategy, content creation, paid ads, and social media management. Based in Winnipeg, Manitoba with team across North America. madsocialagency.com

Connect:

📲 Maddie: @maddie.thompson

📲 MAD: @madsocialagency

🎙️ Host Lyss: @lysshoude

💼 LinkedIn: MAD Social Agency / Maddie Thompson

🌐 Web: madsocialagency.com

Listen & subscribe:

🎙️ Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube 🔔 New episodes drop weekly.

Aidan was considering a career in a medical field before he picked up a camera. During COVID he dropped out of school the first day of classes after one Instagram photo changed how he saw the craft. He taught himself photography from YouTube, talked his way into shooting his first music video for Winnipeg artist Sandman with zero experience, and broke into the Punjabi music industry through Jassa Dhillon and Nav Brar's "Yaad," the video that opened every door after.

In this conversation we get into the pivot from medical plans to music videos, what it actually felt like to direct a video that ended up with 20 million views, filming three music videos in Morocco during the 2022 World Cup, living in Spain for three months, touring 26 cities across the US, and his hot take on where short-form storytelling on social media is heading next.

If you're a creator trying to figure out your craft, a videographer breaking into music videos, or a brand looking for the kind of cinematic storytelling that actually gets watched, this is the episode for you.

Guest: Aidan Notarianni Instagram: @aidannotarianni AFN Productions: afnproductions.com

Host: Lyss Houde Instagram: @lysshoude

Brought to you by MAD Social Agency Instagram: @madsocialagency Web: madsocialagency.com

Topics covered: Teaching yourself photography during COVID Pivoting away from a medical career path Dropping out of school the first day of classes Shooting his first music video for Sandman, "Gemini" How Jassa Dhillon and Nav Brar's "Yaad" opened the door to the Punjabi music industry Working in the Canadian hip-hop scene Filming music videos in Morocco during the 2022 World Cup Living in Spain for three months Touring across the United States as a videographer The shift from 14-hour music video shoots to social media production at MAD How Aidan stays calm and pivots under pressure on every shoot His hot take on the future of short-form storytelling on Instagram Why turning your phone to watch horizontal video might be a 2026 trend