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Gary Williams Jr

@masterwilliams

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Culture is the story.
Co-Founder, CCO @creativetheoryagency
Proud Husband + Dad.
2023 @essence Power 40
↓ The Work

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If you started following me for the fits—What up!? I see you. I appreciate you.

But allow me to (re)introduce myself, because there’s a lot more to the story.

Most of you who’ve followed me over the last 2-3 years don’t know how I got here. You see the style. The highlight reel. The finished product.
What you don’t see: the 10+ years of building that came before. The part where I figured out absolutely nothing comes easy.

2008-2015: I worked a 9-5 doing work that didn’t matter. I played it safe. I used side projects to scratch my creative itch and build my portfolio.

2014: I got laid off. I had to bet on myself with no safety net. (Not the way I saw it going, but sometimes God has other plans.)

2015: I met my business partner at the exact right time. We built Creative Theory Agency with no funding, no loans, no roadmap. No Coffee. (crazy right?) Just one vision, two people willing to work, and a bit of naivety.

2021: We won Adage Small Agency of the Year. @creativetheoryagency

2025: Still building. Still learning. Still figuring it out. Still doing the work.

I’ve realized: some of you don’t know the full story. Not just the style—but the substance. The failures. The faith. The partnerships. The late nights. The “what we gonna do now” moments. The breakthroughs that make it all worth it.

I’m opening up more about what it takes to build something real, create work that resonates, and show up with intention in every area of life—as a creative, a father, a husband, and someone who’s still very much learning as he goes.

Swipe through and let me know if something resonates
.
What do you want to know more about? I’m listening. (And yes, I’ll actually read the comments.)

Much Love,
G by @masterwilliams

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8 months ago

Shoutout to the DMV!

It’s so dope to see so many members of our community receive well-deserved recognition in @Essence Magazine’s article on 40 Influential Figures in Business, Entrepreneurship, Music, Technology, and Media, especially our co-founder, Gary Williams, Jr. 🔥

Show these bosses some love in the comments and read online at Essence.com/Power40, link on our page. taken in Washington D. C. by @masterwilliams

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3 years ago

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Williams!🎄😊

Photographer: The incredible @josephlhart by @masterwilliams

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9 months ago

What I wore to @creativetheoryagency today. 🚀

Hat: @rhude
Top: @gap x @apc_paris
Jeans: @madewell
Shoes: @ghbass taken in Washington D. C. by @masterwilliams

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13 hours ago

Back in Brooklyn with @CultureCon ✨

@masterwilliams + @tamon_ return to the stage this year, picking up where last year’s conversation left off.

Catch us Sunday, October 4 at 3 PM.
Thank you @imani + @culturecon for having us once more. We’re excited to meet this year’s creatives, see what everyone’s building, and naturally, run a fit check.

We in the city all weekend, say what’s up! taken in Brooklyn, New York by @masterwilliams

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19 hours ago

What I wore to @creativetheoryagency today. 🚀

Shades: @amazonfashion
cardigan: @welcometodiallo
Tank: @hausofficial
Pants: @nn07.official
Shoes: @newbottega
Bag: @coach taken in Washington D. C. by @masterwilliams

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6 days ago

THE TASTEMAKER
Gary Williams | @masterwilliams

Co-Founder, Chief Creative Officer, Creative Theory Agency

Gary Williams Jr. is Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Creative Theory, the independent creative agency he started in Washington, D.C. in 2015. He built his career leading content for major brands, moving from award-winning commercial and editorial photography into film and social, and that range is still how he works: one eye on the frame, one on the system it lives in. Under his creative direction, Creative Theory has made work for Google, Nike, Amazon, Meta, BMW, and YouTube, earning Ad Age Small Agency of the Year and a Webby. He is a pastor’s son, husband, and father, and all of those shape how he leads more than any single campaign does. by @masterwilliams

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7 days ago

What I wore to @creativetheoryagency today. 🚀

Beanie: @aimeleondore
Top: @brut_archives
Jeans: @johnelliott_
Boots: @maisonmargiela MM6 taken in Washington D. C. by @masterwilliams

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8 days ago

What I wore to @creativetheoryagency today.

Hat: @aimeleondore
Top: @welcometodiallo
Tank: @hausofficial
Shorts: @nn07.official
Socks: @welcometodiallo
Sneaks: @saucony x @westsidegunn taken in Washington D. C. by @masterwilliams

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13 days ago

Renewed and Rejuvenated in Paris! Celebrated 10 years married. 🖤

A decade of loving, learning, growing, building, sacrificing, forgiving, laughing, figuring it out, and choosing each other through all of it.

Marriage asks a lot of you. It requires patience and grace. Friendship and partnership. Sacrifice and compromise. It requires you to grow individually while somehow continuing to grow together.

And after 10 years, that’s what we’re most proud of.

We’re still here. Still growing. Still laughing. Still dreaming. Still choosing each other.

We’re not the same two people we were 10 years ago. Life has changed us in so many ways. But we’re grateful that we’ve had the privilege of changing alongside one another. And choosing each other daily.

We’ve built a beautiful life together, and we wouldn’t want to share it with anyone else.

10 years ago, we chose each other.

In Paris, we choose each other again.

And for however many years we’re blessed to have together, we’ll keep choosing each other.

Every single time.

10 years up, forever to go. 🖤

Special thank you to the team that made this happen for us. It was everything we could imagine:

Celebrant & Planning: @theparisofficiant
Photography: Anais @theparisianphotographers
Social Content: Matteo @theparisianphotographers
Wedding Flowers: @laplumefleurparis
Violinist: @violinist_paris
Vintage Car: @locarolls taken in Paris, France by @masterwilliams

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17 days ago

My Cherie Amour. 🖤 taken in Paris, France by @masterwilliams

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19 days ago

Proud moment for the team! @masterwilliams and @heartbrkhannah with our Telly Awards hardware for The Art of Possible, our film for @google honoring Dr. Marian Rogers Croak.

This project gave us the opportunity to help tell an important story with the care and craft. We’re proud to see the work recognized and grateful to everyone who helped bring the vision to life!

Thank you to @tellyawards for the recognition 🙏🏾 taken in Creative Theory Agency by @masterwilliams

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20 days ago