Agency Growth Series: Red Antler

Do you want to know how to scale you company beyond 20 people, hire great employees that will support your growth and avoid financial mistakes when you grow internationally?

🌎 In the fourth episode, Emily Heyward shares how she started, scaled, and grew Red Antler and how she managed to get some of the most inspiring startups like Behance, Hinge and Allbirds as clients. Emily shares insights on how to maintain a balance between your personal life and career, the role of artificial intelligence in Red Antler, and shares advice for small design studios trying to grow.

Watch the full interview below, but if you're in a hurry, we've picked out main highlights for you right here: 👇

Here are five key insights for agency founders based on the conversation with Emily Heyward, the Co-Founder of Red Antler:

1. 🎯 Focus on your strategy. The success of Red Antler is deeply rooted in intertwining strategy with creativity from the outset. Build out your agency's strategic capabilities as a way to differentiate and add value beyond simply design or creative output, differentiate yourself from competitors. Your strategy should be flexible enough to allow for inevitable business twists and turns. When strategy is at the core of your agency, it will help you make informed decisions that align with the company's long-term goals and consumer needs.

2. 📈 Expand your agency's offerings. Aim to provide services that meet the C-level needs, helping clients to grow. This might include broadening services beyond just design to strategy, which can secure larger clients and budgets.

3. 🤖 Embrace AI. As AI continues to impact the creative industry, founders should approach it as a valuable tool rather than a threat. AI can assist in conveying visions and performing tasks but hasn't replaced the need for deep, strategic thinking and unique creativity.

4. 🌒 Keep the flexibility your employees seek.
Red Antler boosted its staff retention by embracing flexibility. Allowing the team to work remotely, even live somewhere else for up to three months, or not having to come in every single day can make a big difference and help your agency keep your talent.

5. 🙌 Engage in open dialogue and ensuring clarity about project goals and progress.
Red Antler's most crucial 'tool' for growth has been effective communication and transparency.This is how you can maintain your team alignment and motivation. Strong communication helps manage projects and cultivate a unified team amidst scaling.

Want to take your career to the next level?

Learn Business Strategy, Finance and Leadership hands-on from leaders at Pentagram, WPP, Zaha Hadid Architects, Saatchi & Saatchi, Google, Amazon, and many more on our Design Leaders programme.