Initiate Marketing is my baby. And somehow, that baby is now an adult.

On September 5, 2008, Initiate officially came to life. Our first client, Apisphere, didn’t exactly ease us into it. The call came on a Sunday. They needed booth artwork by Monday. Welcome to agency ownership.

I’d spent almost nine years at another agency and knew I needed a change. I had some experience, and I was familiar with the work; in my mind, I truly thought I could manage it. At the same time, I was absolutely scared shitless. Both of those things were true.

Initially, Initiate consisted of just one person—me. I was fully concentrated on both the creative aspect and on the billable hours steadily rising from day to day. A single person then joined us, and then another, and then another. When we reached our highest number so far, that number was 22. Currently, we have 12 members.

From the very start, my partner Jennifer has been my solid support. She has acted as a source of advice, a strategist and, at certain times, a psychotherapist as well. In her current role as President and Chief Operating Officer of Initiate, she encouraged us to think on a larger scale and to identify opportunities that I could not have spotted by myself. We still run the company together each day, constantly working to define and improve what Initiate is and what it might become. I never even knew I had this dream and it could never have come true without her.

The work that has mattered

For more than 18 years we have worked with hundreds of clients and have finished thousands of projects; some of those moments still seem surreal.

When Initiate’s story was first being developed, we carried out some work for SS&C as the company went public on the Nasdaq. This work was displayed in the Nasdaq building and on billboards situated just around the road, the billboards extending 11 storeys in height. It was amazing to be standing in Times Square and to see our work in one of the most important centres for advertising in the world; it was indeed remarkable for a small shop based in Stittsville to have suddenly found itself on the big stage.

We have since provided our services to clients all over the world and have travelled all across Canada and the United States, as far as Monaco, something I could not have envisaged when I first began. Our association with QNX alone helped establish links that later led to work with at least 20 other clients and companies. High-tech became our main area of expertise, although our services have also extended to travel and tourism, associations, small local businesses, and global organizations such as SAP and LinkedIn.

We ran international marketing campaigns and supported businesses in their early years. We’ve seen our clients grow, merge, acquire other companies, be acquired themselves, collapse and then rebuild. We’ve designed hundreds of logos, websites, videos and campaigns. There’s still something really enjoyable about giving a company a visual identity and then seeing it thrive year after year; it never grows old.

Among our most proud achievements have been the ones that weren’t the largest. We have had the opportunity to assist not-for-profit and charitable organizations such as the Kanata Food Cupboard, WaterAid and Special Olympics Ontario. More recently, our efforts to promote greater awareness of accessibility in Canada have given us a deeper understanding, not just of how we design, but also of how people live their daily lives when access is not equal. As a result, we have become better designers. More significantly, we have become more thoughtful human beings. That is important.

Luckily, we’ve had far more wins than losses. But the losses ,and the close calls, have taught us plenty.

A single web project almost led to us losing our shirts. We had made promises that went beyond what we were capable of fulfilling. We moved into a field in which we didn’t yet possess the necessary skills or knowledge and then did all we could to keep our word. Although it was difficult, it turned out to be one of our most important lessons: make sure to be honest about what you can actually do. Do push yourself, without any doubt, but only do so when you are certain that you can deliver 100%.

Our people have been key

Over the years, many people have passed through our doors: some students starting their careers, others experienced individuals who shared their knowledge, and still other designers perfecting their skills. I have always appreciated each and every one of them and the creative genius they demonstrated.

Certainly, I do wish that some people were still by my side. In fact, the honest truth is that it just wasn’t the right match for them or for us at that particular time. However, each individual did make an impact and left behind part of their creativity, perspective and insight; they will always remain part of Initiate’s collective story.

Over the years, I have seen my team members fall in love, buy houses, have children, change careers, and grow into wonderful human beings. What makes me most proud isn’t a billboard, a website, or a logo; it’s the relationships we have built with our clients and the people who have helped make Initiate what it is. Indeed, the work matters far less.

From doer to thinker(s)

I was confident I was a doer when I began Initiate. For many years we referred to ourselves as an extension of our clients’ creative teams. This was correct, but it also robbed us of recognition. We undervalued our strategic thinking and the creative insight we could provide.

We’re now more experienced, have gained momentum, and are more confident. Our clients no longer visit us just to get tasks carried out; they come to us to imagine solutions. That is a completely different role to take on, and one I’m keen to keep fulfilling.

We’ve survived COVID, two recessions and all the changes that have taken place in our industry. But the economic pressures of today, together with changing client requirements and the rapid evolution of technology, might well be the biggest challenge we have ever had to meet. We can’t pretend that this is any different.

Future-forward

As for what the next 18 years have in store for Initiate, I’m sorry I can’t use a crystal ball to give you the answer. We are adjusting ourselves to the market and to the constantly changing digital environment, and at the same time we are learning together with all the others while still shaping and defining our own route.

At the moment, however, my emphasis is more on the next 18 months than on the next 18 years. We are about to become more courageous. We are once again finding our way and gaining a good deal of experience in the process. It is now the time to reinvent ourselves while respecting the people, the relationships and the experiences that have led us to this point.

Eighteen years is a major achievement and something I don’t take lightly.

We would like to say thank you to each client who placed their trust in us, to each member of the team who shared their talents, and to each friend, colleague and family member who gave us their support throughout the journey.

Initiate has now officially reached adulthood.
But we’re nowhere near finished growing.