Today we’d like to introduce you to Prentice Howe.
Hi Prentice, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started my career as a writer, and grew into a strategist, creative director, and eventually an advertising agency owner.
After graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, I spent my career working at advertising agencies in Dallas, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Austin. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some incredible national brands, lead talented creative teams, and learn from people who were much smarter than me.
But as much as I enjoyed the big agency world, I always had a soft spot for smaller, independent agencies. I loved the entrepreneurial spirit, the lack of bureaucracy, and the opportunity for everyone in the building to make a meaningful impact on a client’s business. There’s something incredibly rewarding about sitting across the table from a business owner, understanding what’s keeping them up at night, and helping them solve it.
That passion eventually led me to Door No. 3, an independent advertising agency here in Austin that I’ve owned since 2015.
Over the years, we’ve worked with brands of all shapes and sizes, but I’ve become especially passionate about helping organizations whose work makes people’s lives better. Today, we call that Growth Marketing for the Greater Good. We work with organizations across healthcare, government, education, transportation, and other industries where effective communication can make a meaningful difference.
Along the way, I’ve also become increasingly fascinated by the power of clarity in communication. I’ve seen brilliant ideas fail because nobody could understand them, and relatively simple ideas take off because somebody found just the right way to communicate them. That thinking has become the foundation of my writing, speaking, and my second book (currently in the works).
After all these years, I still consider myself a writer at heart. I just have a much broader appreciation for what the right words, paired with the right strategy, can accomplish.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s rarely a smooth road. When you choose to be an entrepreneur, you choose the struggle, too. But I’ve always believed the upside is worth it. You have to be willing to walk through the fire, make hard decisions, and maintain a vision for where you’re going, even when the path isn’t entirely clear.
The pandemic was certainly one of those moments. Marketing budgets were among the first things many businesses cut, and we felt that immediately. It forced us to take a hard look at our business, what made us valuable to our clients, and where we needed to evolve. We made some difficult decisions, learned a lot about ourselves, and came out stronger on the other side.
Growth brings its own set of challenges. As an agency owner, one of the hardest things is managing people, personalities, and all the complexities that come with building a team. You can easily spend your entire day putting out fires and solving problems, only to realize you’re getting further and further away from the clients and the creative work that got you into the business in the first place. I’ve had to learn how to balance being a business owner with being the creative and strategic thinker I still love being.
I think the biggest lesson is to stay humble enough to remain a student. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’m still learning. I’m still curious.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At Door No. 3, our mission is to bring predictability to marketing. We want our clients to stop guessing and start growing.
Too often, marketing is a black box. Companies invest significant money without a clear understanding of what’s working, what’s moving the needle, or where their next dollar should go. We help organizations across healthcare, government, education, consumer goods, and other industries turn marketing into a measurable growth engine.
We do that by bringing together clear brand positioning, compelling creative, smart media strategy, and a relentless focus on results. I think what sets us apart is our ability to connect the dots between the message, the media, and the business outcome. We care deeply about the creative work, but we care just as much about whether it works.
On a personal level, my mission is to help great ideas become impossible to ignore. I’ve spent my career fascinated by the power of words and how a few carefully chosen ones can change the trajectory of a business. I believe words are among the most powerful tools we have, yet they’re often overlooked or treated as an afterthought.
It starts with crystal-clear positioning, understanding precisely what you stand for and why anyone should care. Then you give that idea a distinctive, unmistakable voice that people recognize, remember, and want to repeat. That’s the philosophy behind a book I’m currently writing about the power of clarity in communication.
What I’m most proud of is the impact we’ve had on our clients and the people they serve. When our work helps someone find better healthcare, plan for their child’s education, or navigate an important government service, there’s a real sense of purpose behind what we do. And when we can demonstrate that our work helped a client’s business grow, that’s incredibly rewarding.
After all, the world’s best ideas don’t always win. The clearest ones do.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Absolutely. First and foremost, my wife, Natalie. She’s never been involved in the business, but she’s been my rock since the day I started as a junior copywriter. She helps me keep my compass pointed toward true north, reminding me what matters most when the demands of running a business threaten to pull me in a hundred different directions.
I’ve also been fortunate to learn from some incredibly talented people along the way. Bart Cleveland, an award-winning creative director and agency owner, helped me understand what it takes to succeed in this industry and the importance of holding yourself and your work to a high standard.
Mike Levy, the founder of Texas Monthly, gave me invaluable perspective on the responsibilities that come with owning a business, particularly the challenge of balancing professional ambition with being present for your family.
And I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to MP Mueller, the founder of Door No. 3, from whom I acquired the agency in 2015. She gave me an opportunity that changed the trajectory of my career, and I’ll always be grateful for the trust she placed in me.
There have been countless clients, colleagues, and teammates who have shaped me along the way, too. One thing I’ve learned is that whatever success you enjoy in this business, you certainly don’t get there alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dn3austin.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doornumber3/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prentice-howe-54163b4/?isSelfProfile=true
