Since it now seems somewhat compulsory for creatives to start their own agency, here are a few dos and don’ts from someone who’s started three and face-planted twice. As for the third: four years in—the jury’s still out, writes Ben Sampson, creative director and founder of Ravenous Mantis. Don’t be unlucky (see: Happy Soldiers)No matter how many expiry-dated pillows you launch or how many Grand Effies/Gold Lions you rack up, early agency life is mostly timing. Ravenous Mantis might have a silly name, but the smart bit is it isn’t really an agency with a unique approach; it’s a utility. If the problem is attention, write a great big campaign idea for an agency.