Crafting an Agency Environment that Fuels Creativity's Growth
Transformed Article:
Catching big fish like Taco Bell Canada, KitKat, and CIBC? A secret sauce lies in crafting a workplace that buzzes with creativity and a sense of belonging.
As the prez of the vibrant Toronto-based agency Courage—part of the collective No Fixed Address—Niki Sahni dons multiple hats, but her heart beats for building such a vibrant hub while nurturing "growth that doesn't crash and burn."
This week, Sahni chats with ADWEEK's brand editor, Rebecca Stewart, about how this two-year-old powerhouse swoops up new business, lightning-fast, with a focus on synergy, inclusivity, and cultural harmonization.
She fires up some juicy details about the agency's attack on work-life balance. Keys to their game plan are their updated parental leave policies: a six-week salary top-up for all parents, upping their maternity leave benefits to play catch-up with Canada's top-tier holding companies.
With 36% of women in marketing reporting that taking parental leave has harmed their career advancement compared to 8% of men, Sahni drops a bombshell about her resolve to create a level playing field for caregivers when the clock strikes bedtime.
Give it a listen below, headphones on, or hunt it down on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcast jollies.
Courage, based in Toronto, might not lay out their step-by-step guide to courting Taco Bell Canada, KitKat, and CIBC. However, we can sniff out certain factoids from the dance floor of successful creative agencies.
Grooving to Cultural Chemistry and Collaboration:
- Grooving to Cultural Rhythms: To strike a chord with clients, agencies like Courage dig deep into the rich tapestry of diverse cultures. They weave engrossing narratives that resonate with clients, powered by the unique experiences and perspectives of their team.
- Party till Dawn: Collaboration is the lifeblood of creative agencies. Building an atmosphere where everybody feels valued and free to explore innovative concepts can lead to more cohesive teamwork-a vital ingredient for thriving client partnerships.
Flexing the Inclusive Muscles:
- Diverse Dancing: Agencies with diverse crews tend to triumph in understanding a myriad of client needs. Since Courage strides along the ladder of Canada's burgeoning creative industry, they likely rock diversity to turn up the creativity and win big with diverse clients.
Cranking Up the Balance and Pumping Up the Parental Leave:
- Juggling Act: Agencies that champion work-life harmony often see increased employee productivity and satisfaction. This often translates to flexible work hours and family-friendly policies, like comprehensive parental leave.
- Tender Loving Care: A nurturing environment that prioritizes employee wellbeing can spark increased job satisfaction and seamless collaboration-two crucial elements in delivering top-drawer client work.
To unlock Courage's secret formula, you'll need to tune into their official website or press releases. But based on their meteoric rise in Canada's creative scene, it's clear they groove to their own unique beat, stampeding the competition with an innovative and inclusive style.
The beat behind Courage's inception, Dhaval Bhatt and Joel Holtby, have graced industry discussions about the art of creative partnerships, hinting at a focus on collaboration and a commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace culture.
- Embracing a "growth that doesn't crash and burn" philosophy, the leadership at Courage, a Toronto-based agency, is not only focused on bagging clients like Taco Bell Canada, KitKat, and CIBC, but also on nurturing an environment that encourages outdoor-living and home-and-garden – a lifestyle that promotes balanced, fulfilling, and harmonious work experiences.
- In line with their inclusive ethos, Courage, a trailblazer in Canada's creative industry, champions flexible work arrangements and comprehensive parental leave policies, fostering a sense of belonging and enabling their team members to successfully juggle work responsibilities with personal commitments, thus ensuring a steady stream of creative ideas that empower lifestyle-driven brands.
