Awaken is celebrating 10 years since the Sydney-based full-service media agency was first started from founder Chris Parker's kitchen table in 2014, and landed its first client in Glasshouse Candles.

The agency has seen a 1,825% increase in revenue over the last five years and has won eight major new businesses including Ray White, Delaware North/Melbourne Cricket Ground, Blue Cross, Blooms Hearing, WS Audiology, WagePay, Revolution Aerospace, and The Sofitel Sydney Wentworth.

Despite challenges in the past year due to shrinking media budgets and declining consumer spending, CEO Chris Parker believes the agency is positioned for a better year ahead.

"I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Awaken. From the outset, our goal has been to create work that is meaningful and helps brands better connect with their audiences," said Parker. “Over time, we’ve found our sweet spot, working with challenger brands to help create lasting, memorable impressions and build relationships that endure. Staying true to our original mission has been pivotal to our success, allowing us to grow our digital work and client base.

"After 10 years of running an agency, I can say it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. There are sleepless nights, moments where you wake up at 2am in a cold sweat, pacing the halls and stressing over the details. There are stretches where all you can think about is a problem, and sometimes, it just sucks—the weight of everything can be overwhelming. But for all the hard days, the good days far outweigh them."

In response to the pressures of the industry, Awaken has launched a YouTube channel, Awaken Yoga, offering free online yoga classes as part of its focus on mental health for agency staff and the broader media industry. The channel has gained more than 43,000 subscribers since its October launch.

"This feels like my way of giving back - sharing something that has helped me. If I can hold space for just one person to explore yoga and find a little more peace or calm in their life, then that would be incredible," said Parker. He encourages all business owners to find something that helps bring them a sense of peace and balance, and to share it with their people.