Our business is about changing the world, or at least the small corner of it we can see from our office in downtown Grand Rapids. When you're in the business of change, passion comes easily and principles are plentiful. There are a few in particular that have emerged as guides for how we work. These principles form the basis of our relationships with clients and together act as a manifesto of sorts.

So please excuse us while we get on our soapbox, but we thought you might like to know:

Everything is connected.

Perception is pervasive. Whether you have a communications department telling your story or not, people have an opinion of your organization. Your organization’s brand lives in the hearts and minds of your audience, in perceptions that are shaped every time you answer the phone, have a conversation on Twitter, share a brochure, or ask for a donation.

Collaboration makes it all better.

Our team is intentionally “small but mighty” so we can closely partner with clients and fuel our creativity with collaboration. We consider each project from many perspectives, from branding and content strategy to design and usability. This means form and function play well together, messages are married to design, and decisions are made in light of the big picture.

We're about creating before billing.

We are first and foremost a creative team, not a billing machine. This lets us focus on what matters most: doing good work for you. Your organization wants to invest in the right tools as responsibly as possible, so we can work with you to establish a feasible scope for your project. When possible, we propose by the project rather than by the hour so you’ll never feel nickel-and-dimed just for calling to ask a question.

Learning matters. Period.

Consulting without learning is like driving with an expired license. Even with our experience, we accept no substitute for continued learning. Communications and the non-profit sector are changing more quickly than ever, and we are not afraid to explore the bleeding edge. It’s what every organization should expect from its consultants.

Mission without action is just a nice idea.

A mission is an invitation. To act. To advocate. To challenge the status quo. To create. To connect. To change the world as we know it. Without action, a mission is nothing more than wishful thinking. We believe an organization’s mission should inform its strategic plan as well as its strategic communications, so we work to connect the two on every project.