AHA Agency
Building culture and defining purpose
At AHA, I walked into a clear and obvious leadership vacuum. It was wonderful opportunity to build culture, develop creative skills, improve operations, and participate in every aspect of of the business.
Together, we defied industry convention. Focused on creating the most rewarding place for people to work (no, but really), our ability to hire and retain talent skyrocketed, as did our creative output and reputation, which also led directly to leaps in organic client growth.
It was rare for employees to stay less than five years. Beyond providing invaluable opportunities for professional growth, we painstakingly worked through legacy growing pains that come with a longstanding company. Pay bands were leveled. Transparency radically increased. Investment in DEI went beyond any I’ve heard of. And, we reshaped the agency to meet the world our clients were living in. All of which led to the successful acquisition of our agency, where we maintained 100 percent retention through the first year and beyond.
Defining purpose
When repositioning AHA as experts in purpose, I was tasked with creating the agency showreel. Given one month and 20K, I whipped up a script, hired a producer, scouted local talent, and oversaw the direction and editing. The focused messaging led to a new era, ultimately resulting in a successful agency acquisition.
Delighting clients
We loved the idea of a client gift featuring our employees' original stories and artworks. So, we created Praxis— a beautifully designed and packaged book. More than a gift, it reflected our values and helped clients see us in a new light. As demand grew, Praxis was even featured in Adweek.
“Portland agency AHA gives clients a gift the might actually enjoy.”
Flexing creativity
I launched the Creative Stretch program as both a training and culture-building initiative to inspire quick problem-solving and spontaneous bursts of creativity. Some exercises even resulted in tangible outcomes, such as scarves, jerseys, and client projects.
