Pathlabs

For the second year in a row, our CEO, William Lapointe, has been named a finalist for the 2026 Digiday Future Leader Awards. When Will started at Pathlabs, the playbook for independent agencies was already under pressure. There was too much complexity and too little support. His response was to help Pathlabs build something new: the MEP model, a service-first approach that gave agencies room to grow without burning out the people doing the work. Since then, Pathlabs has grown to 100+ team members, now supports over 50 agency clients, and was acquired by global programmatic leader MiQ in 2024. Most recently, Will's commitment to client service earned him the role of Chief Client Officer, U.S., at MiQ, where he will strengthen agency relationships while continuing to lead Pathlabs as CEO. Digiday recognizes leaders who move the industry forward with purpose and measurable results. Will has been doing exactly that, year after year. Please join us in congratulating him, and read more about his story: https://lnkd.in/eNcQJY7A

The best part about a strong start to the year is gaining the confidence to aim even higher. Yesterday, we gathered at the Zootown Arts Community Center for our Q1 all-hands to celebrate the momentum we’ve built so far and set our sights on what's next. Pathlabs began with a clear goal: to provide the best service in the world for independent agencies. Yesterday was a reminder of how far we've come toward that, and proof that our drive to get there hasn't changed.

Happy Earth Day! Yesterday, we celebrated by heading out to the Clark Fork riverbanks. We joined the Clark Fork Coalition for the annual Clark Fork River Cleanup, picking up litter along the river corridor and taking care of the water that runs through this city. Caring for the land and water runs deep in Montana, and as a Missoula-based company, showing up for the river is part of how we operate. We've made it an Earth Day tradition and hope to keep it that way. Thank you to the Clark Fork Coalition for organizing this every year and for giving our community a way to give back to the river!

We’re kicking off Q2 by doubling down on our commitment to client impact and service excellence. William Lapointe has been appointed Chief Client Officer, US, for MiQ, while continuing as CEO of Pathlabs. In this dual role, Will will lead our commitment to overdelivering on client expectations, championing an even more client-obsessed approach that strengthens our partnerships with agencies and brands, with a focus on deepening those relationships, anticipating their needs, and ensuring they experience the full value of MiQ across every interaction. As our top market, the US will be at the forefront of embedding AI into our workflows, from planning and optimization to reporting and client storytelling, in ways that are practical and accessible for teams. By marrying AI-powered operations with world-class talent, we’re redefining what great service looks like for the industry. We’re energized for this next phase of the MiQ client experience and what this means for our partners across the US market.

We spent last Tuesday in Chicago with some of the sharpest independent agency leaders in the room. The Indie Agency News Leadership Summit brought together people who are serious about what 2026 actually looks like. Our session with Mario Schulzke, Kyle Eckhart, Lauren Ridgley, Jaime Ekman, and Rachel Brandt, "Where Brands & Agencies Are Placing Their Bets," covered exactly that: where brands and agencies are placing real bets, and what's driving those decisions. Independent agencies don't always get a day built just for them, and we're grateful to have been a part of this one.

I had the chance this week to return to the University of Montana as a guest lecturer for the Digital Media Execution class, standing in the same classroom where I once sat as a student just a few (eeek...10+) years ago. Pathlabs has built a strong connection with the university, and it’s always rewarding to spend time with students, hear their ideas, answer their questions, and share a few lessons from the past decade. I’ve been fortunate to do this the past few years, and each time I walk away impressed by the creativity, ambition, and projects these students are working on. Safe to say they’re already ahead of where I was at that stage 😅 All that to say, I’m confident many bright ideas and future businesses will come from this group. And I hope that one day, a few of them find their way to Pathlabs and help take what we’re building even further. 🚀

The Own It Women's Agency Ownership Summit had exactly what a room full of agency leaders should have: honest conversations, sharp perspectives, and a genuine investment in each other's success. We're grateful to have such a strong reminder of why community matters in this industry.

Is your media moving faster than ever, but your execution still feels behind? You’re not imagining it. That pressure doesn’t show up all at once. It builds in the work behind the work, where teams feel the strain before they name the problem. Swipe through five signs your media execution model is under AI pressure, and see if yours is keeping up, then download the free guide on a better path forward: https://lnkd.in/gpfmGQGY

Tomorrow's agenda: A Master Class in Agency Ownership. Kara Gallinger, Courtney Packard, Caitlin Zuchero, and Heather H. will represent Pathlabs at Own It's sold-out 2026 Women's Agency Ownership Summit. Didn't get a spot? Join the waitlist and connect with our attendees: https://lnkd.in/gx95_8Ps

Today is the day, Chicago! Come rain or shine, Mario Schulzke will join Kyle Eckhart, Lauren Ridgley, Jaime Ekman, and Rachel Brandt to separate the 2026 trends worth investing in from those that are just hype. We'll see you at the Indie Agency News Leadership Summit!