Meet the Partners: Tom Lehmann

Crazy like a fox.

Since Blue Collar was born six years ago, a lot has been accomplished. Gallons of coffee and glasses of bourbon have fueled countless long days. Miles of trail have inspired ideas. The collection of gas pumps and car grills has grown to surround us. Our most important accomplishment to date is assembling a team of talented and dedicated mechanics. So, what’s the driving force behind all this momentum? The leadership.

In this blog series, we’ll introduce the partners of Blue Collar Agency. What makes us blue collar? Why are we doing this? What does the future hold? Read on to learn more about Tom Lehmann, Partner and Creative Director with BC.

Describe Your Background

We brought the “Philly” to Oregon!

I always knew I’d end up doing something creative with my life. As a teenager, I spent countless hours redesigning logos for action sports brands like K2, Vision (skateboards) and Diamondback Bicycles. After high school, I went to The Art Institute of Philadelphia with a focus in Visual Communications. Moving from a tiny farming town to Philadelphia changed my life. I’d fall asleep at night staring at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from my dorm room window. I was hired by a small post-production studio the day I graduated. 15 years later, after working for many various agencies in and around Philadelphia, (I’m a big fan of job jumping—read my article on Adage) I decided it was time to make a major environmental change so I packed my truck and headed to Oregon. Four years later, Blue Collar was born.

I like to be in control.

What Drove You to Start Blue Collar?

I’m a control freak. That being said, I don’t attempt to make everything mine—I simply believe there’s a right and wrong way to do something. Far too often agency owners focus on making money over making quality work. Growing up in a very blue collar household, I learned that hard work, accountability and taking pride in your craft were the keys to success. Also, know what you’re good at and keep your focus. There’s a reason why I don’t handle the finances and operations at Blue Collar!

My dad and I. He’s still better looking than me!

What’s your blue collar background?

I grew up on a 81 acre farm in rural Pennsylvania (on Lehmann Lane). My father was an auto mechanic so I spent a lot of time “helping” around the garage. I was always curious about how things worked—one of my favorite past times was to deconstruct my toys. I also spent a lot of time outdoors, building forts, camping, bird watching and drawing. My best friend’s family actively farmed their land, so I was surrounded with tractors, fields and cow shit. Lots and lots of cow shit.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I love that I’m not forced to fight with some nitwit (that’s a technical, Philly term for an idiot) at the top of the org chart over creative concerns. While internally we still might debate the best strategy for any given decision, I know the final call for all things creative falls on my shoulders. I’ve failed with this responsibility on occasion, which has taught me to be a better listener. Nothing beats being surrounded by smart, talented people to help keep you on track.