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Willing & Abel: Lessons from a decade in crisis
How do you build a business when the economy is shot?
• How do you transform your company meaningfully, truly empower your people and create a stronger organisation that can change the world?
• How do you make the tough decisions in life, in business and in leadership, decisions that will benefit everyone in the long run?
• Mike Abel, one of the founding partners of multi-award-winning advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel, answers these questions and more.
• Launched in 2010, M&C Saatchi Abel started out as an industry underdog in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. In South Africa it was also the start of the Zuma presidency, a period of profound economic and business challenges. A decade later, and despite the odds stacked against them, the company’s story is one of incredible success. From Nando’s to Netflix, Takealot to TikTok, Standard Bank to The Street Store, M&C Saatchi Abel has built a reputation for bringing searing clarity and innovative solutions to the strategic challenges of a diverse range of businesses and causes.
• In Willing & Abel, Mike reveals the secret sauce behind the company’s success by sharing lessons hard-learned at the coalface of business, leadership and creativity over the last 30 years. Ethics and empowerment, trust and value, gut instincts and tough decisions – this is what it takes to build a business that is future-fit come rain, shine, pandemics or government corruption. An optimist to his core, Mike shows us that – no matter the problems we face as a country, as a species and as a planet – we have everything we need to make it right.
• How do you transform your company meaningfully, truly empower your people and create a stronger organisation that can change the world?
• How do you make the tough decisions in life, in business and in leadership, decisions that will benefit everyone in the long run?
• Mike Abel, one of the founding partners of multi-award-winning advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel, answers these questions and more.
• Launched in 2010, M&C Saatchi Abel started out as an industry underdog in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. In South Africa it was also the start of the Zuma presidency, a period of profound economic and business challenges. A decade later, and despite the odds stacked against them, the company’s story is one of incredible success. From Nando’s to Netflix, Takealot to TikTok, Standard Bank to The Street Store, M&C Saatchi Abel has built a reputation for bringing searing clarity and innovative solutions to the strategic challenges of a diverse range of businesses and causes.
• In Willing & Abel, Mike reveals the secret sauce behind the company’s success by sharing lessons hard-learned at the coalface of business, leadership and creativity over the last 30 years. Ethics and empowerment, trust and value, gut instincts and tough decisions – this is what it takes to build a business that is future-fit come rain, shine, pandemics or government corruption. An optimist to his core, Mike shows us that – no matter the problems we face as a country, as a species and as a planet – we have everything we need to make it right.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2020
10 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 15, 2020
A brilliant read detailing the adventures and lessons of starting a successful business in a challenging country and time. Using entertaining stories that will make you laugh and cringe, it is a brutally honest account of what it is really like to launch and grow a business. The lessons learnt are very powerful and will be useful to anyone on the same journey. Best of all is Mike’s unstoppable optimism which is really the overarching theme and will definitely inspire. I couldn’t put it down!
November 13, 2020
An inspirational read, meticulously detailed and brutally honest, of the creation of South Africa’s leading advertising agency group, M&C Saatchi Abel. Mike Abel has a canny way of drawing the reader in and taking them along on the journey with him. A must read for any businessperson or entrepreneur who strives for the very best in all that they do.
March 4, 2021
It is not easy to imagine the immense difficulty of having to “cherry pick” just a few of many moments in what has been a 30+ year journey in global marketing & translate them into a book of lessons that are globally relevant especially in the world today.
But Mike Abel has pushed the envelope beyond that, by giving you the “Lego Blocks” to help you build the business & country you have a passion for; with the valuable lessons learnt in the rise of M&C Saatchi Abel & those of their long term clients.
From a refreshing take on Conventional Business advice to where Capitalism as a whole should evolve responsibly in the name of Sustainability, the book remains consistently positive in its message that South Africans & South Africa itself have a great deal to offer & that there is success to be had in Brutal Simplicity of Thought & intent of meaningful action.
No matter your background, career or business it is sure to leave you positively inspired & feeling almost as if you have worked with Mike & his team; if only for a few days.
It is a resource that I believe truly harnesses & entrepreneurial spirit & is an absolute must read.
But Mike Abel has pushed the envelope beyond that, by giving you the “Lego Blocks” to help you build the business & country you have a passion for; with the valuable lessons learnt in the rise of M&C Saatchi Abel & those of their long term clients.
From a refreshing take on Conventional Business advice to where Capitalism as a whole should evolve responsibly in the name of Sustainability, the book remains consistently positive in its message that South Africans & South Africa itself have a great deal to offer & that there is success to be had in Brutal Simplicity of Thought & intent of meaningful action.
No matter your background, career or business it is sure to leave you positively inspired & feeling almost as if you have worked with Mike & his team; if only for a few days.
It is a resource that I believe truly harnesses & entrepreneurial spirit & is an absolute must read.
November 25, 2020
An exceptional story that had to be told. Many valuable insights from a highly regarded business leader. Many nuggets of wisdom, told with brutal simplicity and honesty. I will be buying many copies for work colleagues and family.
November 1, 2020
A pleasure to read and an inspirational look at the advertising world, with lessons applicable beyond that industry.
November 16, 2020
Anyone interested in creativity and the impact it can have on brands, on people, and most importantly on life, this is a must read.
January 6, 2026
Such an amazing lot of stories and knowledge from such an incredible man with a truly applaudable career. Very inspiring book
April 5, 2025
What a way to start the year with a good read!
We need more business leaders like Mike, who have the honesty, integrity and ability to execute simplicity to grow both people and industry particularly in these inexplicably trying times.
Willing and Abel is a “catalytic converter” and a must-read.
Mike’s ability to share his lessons in such a relatable and creative way, feels like you are chatting to the guy next door, albeit actually the “Botjie from PE”.
It’s serious and funny, it’s inspiring and real. It’s ballsy and necessary.
It is the brutal simplicity of thought that so many of us can benefit from by applying to both life and business.
This book makes our diversity human and that punts that talent is to be taken seriously - nurtured and treated well, it will thrive. It also makes for having the confidence in owning your own talent (like Mike) and creating the space for what you deserve.
I worked under Mike for a year in 2005 at Ogilvy. What I learnt that year built 7 years of successful business in Switzerland and beyond.
This book is a reminder that we must never under estimate the value of great leadership, the importance of mentorship, excellent business practice, our networks and VISION.
What I got out of this is to trust your gut (again), get clear about what you want and go big.
I’m going to check in with myself about “What’s the Auntie” for 2021.
Thanks Mike Abel - congrats to you and your team of people, of whom I know many, for building such a great business and sharing your hard earned stories. Here’s to every success this year!
We need more business leaders like Mike, who have the honesty, integrity and ability to execute simplicity to grow both people and industry particularly in these inexplicably trying times.
Willing and Abel is a “catalytic converter” and a must-read.
Mike’s ability to share his lessons in such a relatable and creative way, feels like you are chatting to the guy next door, albeit actually the “Botjie from PE”.
It’s serious and funny, it’s inspiring and real. It’s ballsy and necessary.
It is the brutal simplicity of thought that so many of us can benefit from by applying to both life and business.
This book makes our diversity human and that punts that talent is to be taken seriously - nurtured and treated well, it will thrive. It also makes for having the confidence in owning your own talent (like Mike) and creating the space for what you deserve.
I worked under Mike for a year in 2005 at Ogilvy. What I learnt that year built 7 years of successful business in Switzerland and beyond.
This book is a reminder that we must never under estimate the value of great leadership, the importance of mentorship, excellent business practice, our networks and VISION.
What I got out of this is to trust your gut (again), get clear about what you want and go big.
I’m going to check in with myself about “What’s the Auntie” for 2021.
Thanks Mike Abel - congrats to you and your team of people, of whom I know many, for building such a great business and sharing your hard earned stories. Here’s to every success this year!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews