Getting to know... Elja Polak

In the latest instalment of Bdaily’s Getting to know... feature, which looks at the person behind the business profile, Elja Polak, chief growth hero at Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore-based creative advertising agency SuperHeroes, and head of content creation collective LOIS, talks about swapping Scorsese for storytelling, watching ideas deliver great impact and making average dance music...

We know you as the chief growth hero at SuperHeroes, but who is the person behind the title? Tell us a little about what makes you tick... 

I’m driven by curiosity.

I like building things that move – culturally and commercially.

Some say I’m a nerd, always looking at the back of devices to see where cables go and how they’re built.

I don’t believe in separating creativity from performance, or people from outcomes.

What makes me tick is spotting shifts early and turning them into something useful.

I also don’t take myself too seriously.

The work matters. Ego does not. 

Did you always want to work in the digital and creative sectors?

Back in 1996, I realised the internet was becoming something big.

I dreamed of being a filmmaker like my hero Scorsese, but I was pulled by how the web was democratising distribution, freedom of speech and giving everyone publishing power.

Long before YouTube existed, we shared videos and content by email and through web portals and blogs.

That sense of unlimited possibility in blogging, early search, storytelling and gaming was irresistible.

I didn’t have a choice – I went into digital marketing because I wanted to make content that could live everywhere without gatekeepers. 

What’s the best bit about your job? And the worst?

The best part is building a new service for our agency by bringing together the best creators in the world that we give access to for our advertisers.

I love bringing growth by combining paid media, creativity and creators into one system that saves the world from boring ads.

Seeing ideas turn into impact never gets old.

The worst part is when creativity is treated as decoration instead of strategy.

That still happens when the actual business problem or KPI is not set.  

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Professionally, helping build LOIS into a fresh, visual story collective working with brands like Adobe, Polaroid, Bose, Lenovo and Framer.

Personally, my kids.

Isa is 21 and Sam is 19. Nothing comes close to that achievement.

Every day, I admire what they do and how they manage to rise up when they are faced with hurdles.

How do you relax outside of work?

I run (well… I should run more regularly).

It is my meditation and mental reset.

I also make dance music in my spare time and publish it on SoundCloud.

I call them hits. They get about 12 streams a year, mostly from me and my kids laughing at how bad they are.

That keeps things in perspective.

My son is way better at making music.

What makes Amsterdam such a great place to live and work?

It’s open, international and compact; you can build global businesses while still biking your kids to school.

There is creative energy without the constant noise.

That balance matters.

Tell us something about you we didn’t know…

I call myself an astronaut of planet Earth.

It reminds me to stay humble and take care of the world around me.

We are only passing through, and the steps I take on this planet should matter to the people around me.

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →