Dakota Hermes of AdClass: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A Founder

As part of our interview series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A Founder”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dakota Hermes.

Dakota Hermes is a 30-year-old entrepreneur and founder of AdClass, a digital marketing agency specializing in direct-response advertising across major platforms like Meta, Google, TikTok, and YouTube. A dedicated father of two (soon to be 3) young boys, Dakota balances his passion for business with interests in music, self-development, and cultural exploration, drawing from his background as a former Spanish teacher. Committed to personal and professional growth, he strives to be an effective leader, husband, and lifelong learner.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

From high school, I really had no clue what I wanted to “be”. All I knew is that I had a really great Spanish teacher, and it seemed like something I could aspire to do. So, I went straight to the university and started studying Spanish Education.

It wasn’t until 5 years later that I stopped to take a deep breath and realized, wow, I don’t actually really like this career path.

I was newly married, and didn’t have a lot of money or options, so I went into teaching regardless. I taught for a couple of years, but found myself pacing around my apartment complex with my wife one afternoon after work.

“I know there’s something else out there I can do.”

It was a feeling I’d had many times before. A longing to do something bigger, but no clue how to get there.

So, I went back to school at night after teaching and coaching golf… and studied marketing.

Eventually, I put in my notice that this would be the last year I would teach — and an opportunity to become a “digital media buyer” fell right into my lap — almost like it was fate.

I started working in marketing, fell in love with it, and the rest is history.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey?

When I was just entering the marketing world, I was put in charge of running a marketing agency at the company I worked at.

I gave it 110% of my effort, day after day, for 2 years.

I saw it as a necessary period of time — but I had no exit plan. Essentially, I was working myself to the point of burnout, but not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel.

My wife and I were also trying to have children at this time, and it wasn’t working.

It seemed as though I was spinning my wheels in a career that I didn’t fully understand with no hope of anything changing.

I ended up hitting a breaking point and leaving that job, and although it taught me a ton about industry knowledge, it ended up being the best decision I ever made — because it gave me the confidence to go out on my own and start something.

Oh, and we got pregnant 6 months later. Crazy what stress can do.

Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

I have always had a belief that digging deep is the secret to success. That the obstacle to a goal is actually the goal itself. So, regardless of if you are finding a solution or getting a breakthrough right away, the idea that you’re learning through the process of failing is enough for me. Because eventually, I will break through.

So, how are things going today? How did grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?

Our company has grown over 100% for two years running. We’re in a fun spot, a team of 25+, serving over 30 clients and helping them to scale their businesses with paid advertising.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I don’t know about the funniest, but one big one comes to mind. We hired some help at one point with media buying — we were growing quickly and needed some quick help with some new projects.

We hired someone for part time work, and although she was a good culture fit, it wasn’t super clear if she had the chops day 1 to help out. But, we were desperate, so we put her on a new campaign.

She ended up spending 20k in one weekend, when she was supposed to only spend 3k.

This was a lesson we learned rather quickly, and the hard way, that nothing can replace a good training protocol and onboarding process, regardless of past experience or expertise.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

At AdClass, what sets us apart is our commitment to digging deep, not just for results but to genuinely understand and elevate our clients’ businesses. We prioritize a culture of relentless curiosity, continuous improvement, and putting people first, which translates into better results and stronger client relationships. For instance, we once faced a challenging campaign for a major client where standard strategies weren’t delivering; instead of defaulting to typical solutions, we dove into an in-depth analysis, collaborated cross-team, and implemented an innovative approach that boosted their lead quality and conversion rates significantly — showcasing our dedication to doing it right and adding real value.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

• Set Boundaries and Prioritize Self-Care: It’s essential to structure work hours to prevent overworking, ensuring time for personal health, family, and hobbies.
• Focus on Deep Work: Allocate dedicated blocks of time for focused, high-impact tasks, minimizing multitasking to boost productivity and reduce stress.
• Build a Supportive Team Culture: Encourage open communication, celebrate wins (big or small), and foster a collaborative environment where team members feel valued and connected.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

My wife has always been my number one supporter.

We got married young, at 20 years old. We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary this year. She’s been with me when I was waiting tables in college, through teaching, and into entrepreneurship.

And every step of the way she’s been involved and active in helping me make decisions.

In fact, that moment when we were pacing the apartment complex and talking about the future, her response was not, “but that’s not guaranteed” or “are you sure?”…

It was, “I know you can do it.”

For me, having her in my corner has always given me the confidence I needed to believe in myself enough to take a leap.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I’ve used my success to make a positive impact by fostering a work culture at AdClass that prioritizes growth, empathy, and adding value to everyone we come into contact with. Our mission is to help great companies scale with paid advertising — so every company we work with is able to grow, help more people, and create more opportunities for those who work for and with them.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my company” and why?

1 . Building a Great Team is Everything

I wish someone had stressed how crucial it is to hire not just for skills but for cultural fit and shared values. Early on, I focused heavily on expertise alone, which sometimes led to team friction. I learned that people who embody our core values — like digging deep and adding value — are what make the difference. For instance, after aligning my hiring process with these values, team cohesion improved, and so did our client satisfaction.

2 .You Can’t Do Everything Yourself

When I first started AdClass, I thought being hands-on with everything was the only way to ensure quality. That led to exhaustion and bottlenecks. The biggest game changer came from learning to trust my team and delegate — something reinforced during our team discussions and collaborative efforts on projects, like exploring new ad strategies. Empowering others not only lightened my workload but brought fresh ideas to the table that I wouldn’t have come up with on my own.

3 . Embrace Failure as a Learning Tool

I learned over time that failure isn’t the enemy; it’s one of the best teachers. We do something called the “Damage Control Derby”, where our account strategists role play with us and we play the part of “tough clients”. I use this to instill the fact that there will always be opposition, but instead of fearing setbacks, we dive into understanding what went wrong and use those insights to come back stronger. I wish someone had told me earlier that resilience and adaptability are built not by avoiding failure, but by leaning into it and learning every step of the way.

4 . Communication is Your Strongest Tool

Early on, I underestimated the power of clear communication. Assumptions led to missed opportunities and misunderstandings. It wasn’t until we made consistent, open dialogue a norm — like during our Friday Media Buying Power Hour meetings and debriefs — that I saw how it transformed team alignment and project outcomes. I wish someone had told me that good communication doesn’t just prevent problems; it actively fuels success… especially in remote work environments.

5. Work-Life Balance Impacts Company Success

Starting out, I thought relentless work was the only way to achieve growth. It took time to realize that burning out helped no one — not me, not my team, not my family. Experiences like planning family trips or celebrating moments with my kids have shown me that a balanced life makes me a better leader. Encouraging my team to do the same has created an environment where people are not just productive but genuinely thriving.

Can you share a few ideas or stories from your experience about how to successfully ride the emotional highs & lows of being a founder”?

1. Embrace the Ebbs and Flows

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to accept that highs and lows are a natural part of the entrepreneurial process. There was a period when a major client campaign struggled despite our best efforts. The team felt the pressure, and morale was low. But instead of panicking, we approached it with the mindset that tough times would pass, and we leaned into solutions, testing new strategies. When we finally turned it around, the win felt even more rewarding because we learned resilience together.

2. Stay Grounded During Highs

When things are going great, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement. But I’ve learned to celebrate wins and then quickly refocus on what’s next. For example, after a particularly successful Q4, I made sure to keep the team motivated by not just basking in that success but setting new goals and strategies to keep the momentum going. It’s a fine balance between recognizing achievements and staying humble enough to prep for the next challenge.

3. One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn is that my worth is not defined by the success or failure of my company. In the early days of AdClass, I found myself so deeply tied to the business that every setback felt like a personal failure and every win like validation of my own value. It became clear that this mindset was unsustainable. There was a pivotal moment after working with a brand that didn’t perform as expected; it hit me hard, not just professionally but personally. I realized that if I continued to attach my identity to the business, I’d ride an exhausting emotional rollercoaster.

Now, I actively remind myself that I am more than my role as a founder — I’m a husband, a dad, and someone who values growth outside of work. This shift has helped me approach challenges with a clearer mind and celebrate victories without letting them define who I am. It’s an ongoing practice, but maintaining that separation has been key to riding out the highs and lows without losing myself in the process.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I believe that the internet can be a huge resource for alternative education models that can impact billions of people. I would love to start a movement of experts who are able to take what they know and love and teach it to the masses, in a way that improves everyone’s knowledge and ability in niches where there is not enough educational content.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

You can learn more about what I do at adclass.com

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Thank you so much!

About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising.

Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.