Launching a company isn’t about having a great idea—it’s about falling in love with a problem, recruiting and supporting a world class team, and staying agile in an ever-changing digital landscape. Recently, John Simanowitz, CEO and Partner of Integrity, visited Washington University’s McKelvey School of Engineering during their Marketing Innovation class to share his journey of founding and growing Integrity, a leading digital agency based in St. Louis.
A Holistic Approach to Teamwork
One of John’s core principles in entrepreneurship is to obsess about a problem, not a solution. When John founded Integrity in 2001, he saw tension between users and technology, as well as a foundational problem with digital program execution. Status quo was broken and he knew there was a better way.
To solve these inefficiencies, Integrity pioneered a flat organizational structure (later described similarly to a holacracy), operating with a leadership model centered around web design, web development, agile strategy, and digital marketing leads, who all work directly with clients as peers.
Removing unnecessary hierarchy and empowering each individual on our team to make decisions fosters faster innovation, better problem-solving, and stronger outcomes. Because of this unique model, our team has stayed ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, diving deep into custom CRM systems and AI-driven healthcare chatbots, all while delivering world-class web experiences to our clients.
Team and structure is the answer to uncertainty, risk, and change.
Key Takeaways for Future Entrepreneurs
✅ Be obsessed with the problem, not the solution—adapt and evolve as you learn more.
✅ Build a team culture that prioritizes collaboration over hierarchy—great ideas come from diverse perspectives.
✅ Stay agile in a changing world—what seems ridiculous today may be the norm tomorrow.
✅ Master communication and curiosity—entrepreneurs need to ask the right questions and seek constant learning.
John encouraged WashU students to think big, challenge the status quo, take bold steps toward innovation, and lean into chaos. Whether they plan to launch their own startups or contribute to groundbreaking teams, the future belongs to those who embrace change, solve meaningful problems, and build with purpose.
Life is short. Do stuff that matters.