Star City Six: Adam Kroft
Headquartered in Lincoln, NE and serving clients nationwide, Red Thread is a creative advertising agency focusing on video, graphic design, websites, and social media. Adam Kroft is the Account Director and a co-founder of Red Thread (redthreadads.com).
Tell us a little about your business. – Red Thread was formulated on the idea that there are better ways to spend your advertising dollars. Everyone loves the Super Bowl ads because they’re engaging to watch. There’s no reason why a Super Bowl caliber ad can’t be created for your company every other day of the year. That’s where Red Thread comes in.
How did you get started in the business? – I was preparing to graduate from UNL and go work at a big advertising agency on Michigan Avenue in Chicago. I was already working for a very respectable agency in the area, but I figured it might be time to ditch the intern work and gain the experience working with a client one-on-one before I graduated. I began freelancing, and before I knew it I was landing client after client with no end in sight! One day, one of my clients asked for my tax ID number. As a 21-year-old kid, I had no clue what a tax ID number was. Fast forward a day later and Red Thread Solutions LLC was incorporated with the state of Nebraska in May of 2014.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – My age. Sure, sometimes it plays to my advantage because I understand what the ‘kids’ are up to. But other times people believe that because we’re young we still have a learning curve. Ask any of our current clients, we’ve earned our stripes.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – I won a couple of ADDY’s when I was in school for creative work. And I was just selected as LIBA’s 2016 Young Professional of the Year.
Tell us a little about your family. – My parents are the third-generation owners of a screen-printing and embroidery company called Woolenwear, which was started in 1936 in the Chicagoland area, and my brother is currently a freshman at UNL.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – Go hoverboarding with my girlfriend Shelby or take my cat for a walk.
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? – I have an enormous sneaker collection of Nike skateboarding shoes. I own over 60 pairs. This is what I consider my first business venture. I bought and sold sneakers for a living as a 15-year-old high school student, which brought on my entrepreneurial mindset. I also won the 2009 National Amateur Dodgeball Tournament.
What are you the most proud of? – I became an adjunct professor at the age of 22. The students I taught were older than me.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – The key to success is self-discipline.
If you could have a super power, what would it be? – The ability to communicate with animals. I should probably start working for WOOF!
What local non-profit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why? – United Way is an amazing non-profit that I’ve had the opportunity to donate to and volunteer for, but now I can call them my client too.
What is your favorite local restaurant? – ChefauChef, if you haven’t tried Aaron’s breakfast burritos you haven’t had the best hidden treasure in Lincoln.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – Feel free to shoot me an email at adam@redthreadads.com or give me a call at (402) 525-5984. Check Red Thread out at redthreadads.com.