Own It
Own It is a free community platform founded in 2021 that aggregates female and nonbinary advertising agency owners through a directory, podcast, census, and international events to address the underrepresentation of women in ad agency ownership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Own It does
Own It is a free community platform and advocacy initiative dedicated to increasing the share of advertising agencies owned by women and nonbinary people. Founded in 2021 by Christy Hiler (who also owns the Cornett advertising agency), the platform operates under The Cornett Group, Inc., a Kentucky-registered corporation headquartered at 249 E Main St., Lexington. It addresses a structural gap in the advertising industry — less than 1% of North America's 22,000 advertising agencies are women- or nonbinary-owned — by aggregating agency owners, aspirants, and allies into a single ecosystem.
The platform is structured around four interlocking components: an Owners Directory of 315+ (per one source) to 600+ (per another) female and nonbinary agency owners, the Own It Podcast featuring owner interviews, the Be Counted self-reporting census, and international networking events such as the Cannes Brunch in Mougins, France. Distribution is handled through a website hub at untilyouownit.com, podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Stitcher), and social channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) plus a Mailchimp newsletter. The community spans the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and France.
Commercially, Own It is a mission-driven, founder-operated initiative rather than a revenue-generating business: no products or services are sold, no external venture capital or private equity funding has been disclosed, and headcount is in the 1–10 range. The operating model is bootstrapped and subsidized within the broader Cornett agency ecosystem, with the Owners Directory and podcast serving primarily as visibility, networking, and advocacy layers rather than as monetized SaaS or marketplace offerings.
Own It firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Own It
- Legal name
- The Cornett Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://untilyouownit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Own It is a free community platform founded in 2021 that aggregates female and nonbinary advertising agency owners through a directory, podcast, census, and international events to address the underrepresentation of women in ad agency ownership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Own It industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advertising Industry Advocacy and Community
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF)
Keywords
Where Own It is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Own It business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Own It product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Own It is a free community initiative that builds a directory, podcast, registration census, and event series dedicated to women and nonbinary owners of advertising agencies. It provides visibility, networking, and resources to a community that represents less than 1% of the 22,000 ad agencies in North America, with no paid products or services for sale.
Product overview
Own It is a community initiative and advocacy platform focused on increasing women and non-binary ownership in the advertising industry. The platform operates as a unified ecosystem comprising an Owners Directory (a registry of 600+ female agency owners), the Own It Podcast (showcasing owner stories), the Be Counted Initiative (self-reporting census), and networking events. These components work together to build visibility, community, and data for underrepresented agency owners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Own It Community Platform Free community platform for women and nonbinary advertising agency owners, combining a 600+ agency directory, podcast, registration census, and events into a single ecosystem.
- Owners Directory Searchable, free directory listing 600+ female and nonbinary advertising agency owners across North America, Europe, and other regions, enabling networking and visibility for the community.
- Own It Podcast Free weekly podcast featuring interviews with women and nonbinary advertising agency owners discussing challenges, successes, and goals, distributed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, and Stitcher.
- Be Counted Initiative Free registration program inviting women and nonbinary agency owners to self-report their ownership status and agency details, populating the Owners Directory and producing first-party data on representation.
- Own It Events Free networking events and community gatherings (e.g., the Cannes Brunch in Mougins, France) that connect female and nonbinary agency owners internationally.
Quantifiable outcome
- 315 agency owners registered in community
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Own It
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Own It technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Own It partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Own It competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- #SeeHer: ANA-led movement to increase accurate portrayal and representation of women in advertising. Operates as an industry coalition with measurement tools and member programs — comparable as a diversity-and-women-in-advertising initiative, though focused on portrayal rather than ownership.
- Free The Bid: Initiative encouraging brands to award creative and media business to women-owned companies, founded by R/GA's Mick Ebeling. Closely comparable in targeting the structural gap in agency ownership and business allocation to women.
- She Runs It: Not-for-profit organization (formerly Advertising Women of New York) supporting women across the entire marketing and advertising industry. Comparable in serving women in advertising via networking, events, awards, and member programming.
- Create & Cultivate: Community, content, and events platform for women entrepreneurs across creative industries. Comparable in operating a podcast, in-person events, and an online community for women founders, though serving a broader category than advertising agencies.
- ADCOLOR: Industry organization promoting diversity and inclusion across advertising, marketing, media, and entertainment via awards, conferences, and membership. Directly comparable as a diversity-focused community organization serving the same advertising talent pool.
- The 3% Movement: Industry initiative focused on increasing female creative leadership in advertising, with conferences, talent directories, and advocacy. Directly comparable in mission (women's advancement in advertising) and in operating community + events + content, though focused on creative leadership rather than agency ownership specifically.
Broad incumbents
- Girlboss: Media and community platform for ambitious women, spanning content, events, and a job/career marketplace. Overlaps with Own It in mission (women's professional empowerment) but operates at a broader scale and across industries rather than specifically advertising agency ownership.
Emerging players
- HeyMama: Community and networking platform for working mothers in creative industries. Comparable in operating a curated member community for women in creative fields, though with a narrower focus on mothers.
Others
- MAKERS: Women's leadership platform featuring interviews and content about pioneering women. Comparable as a content-driven women's empowerment brand but operates at a much larger, broader scope than Own It's advertising-specific focus.
- The One Club for Creativity: Nonprofit serving the advertising creative community through awards, education, and diversity programs. Adjacent to Own It as an advertising industry membership body, but focused on creative craft rather than agency ownership.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Own It social profiles
Digital presenceOwn It financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Own It leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Own It funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Own It M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Own It
What does Own It do?
Own It is a free community initiative that builds a directory, podcast, registration census, and event series dedicated to women and nonbinary owners of advertising agencies. It provides visibility, networking, and resources to a community that represents less than 1% of the 22,000 ad agencies in North America, with no paid products or services for sale.
Is Own It a public or private company?
Own It is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Own It founded?
Own It was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Own It based?
Own It is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Own It's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are #SeeHer, Free The Bid, She Runs It, Create & Cultivate, ADCOLOR and The 3% Movement. Girlboss is listed as a broad incumbent. HeyMama is listed as an emerging player. Others are MAKERS and The One Club for Creativity.
Does Own It have an API?
No public API is recorded for Own It.
What industry is Own It in?
Own It's product category is Advertising Industry Advocacy and Community. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACADAF, Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.