Pivot power
Two women-owned branding agencies collaborate to help companies succeed in a post-COVID world
Meghan Lynch and Kirsten Modestow both have successful agencies in the branding space. That said, they don’t think of themselves as sworn enemies, rivals, or even friendly foes.
Growth-minded small businesses rely on Lynch’s brainchild, Six-Point, as their outsourced chief marketing officer and brand strategy think tank — from brand and positioning overhauls, to annual marketing plans, to ongoing marketing project management and consulting. Companies of all life stages lean on Modestow’s globally recognized design powerhouse, BRIGADE, for one-of-a-kind brand identities, effective packaging design, and award-winning creative execution.
These complementary offerings, when paired together, create impactful, thought-provoking work for brands. Yet potential clients have often treated them as competitors.
“We’ve competed for the same branding projects many times over the past decade,” explained Modestow. “But ultimately, people who choose between us are choosing between smart strategy and breakout creative—when they should be demanding both.”
Six-Point and BRIGADE are offering just that, and have joined forces to offer new clients combined services in the wake of COVID-19.
With phrases like “pivot” and “defining the new normal,” businesses large and small will need to make shifts coming out of the pandemic that address inevitable changes in consumer behavior, communication, and market need. The false choice — between spending on translating business strategy into brand strategy, or jumping right into a creative makeover — is not only a detriment to return on investment. It’s a detriment to speed, too. For client pivots that demand a combination of their skills, Six-Point and BRIGADE will begin working together, with the goal of helping more companies come out of the economic downturn more focused, and stronger than ever.
“Ultimately, these companies will need a fundamental strategy that bridges the changes happening to the business model to brand, and they’ll need effective creative execution to translate to sales of their products and services,” said Lynch. “In the old reality, companies often treated these as separate phases… first strategy, then design. But there is not going to be time for that. The idea of two small, nimble, smart agencies collaborating from the start, each working to their strengths, means that our clients will be able to move faster than those who opt to separate strategy and design.”
Lynch and Modestow see their collaboration as a symbol of the traits the two women leaders exemplify in their own work: leading with empathy, seizing opportunity with agility, and collaborating.
“This is an opportunity for my company to stay in its lane of expertise, but deliver more inherent value to the growth-minded companies we’re passionate about supporting,” said Lynch. “In my experience, women leaders are often the best collaborators, and now is an ideal time to seek partners that augment your products or services to better solve complex issues your customers are facing.”
What makes a great collaboration? Lynch recommends starting with customer needs. Then, look for shared values.
“Much of our excitement to work together came from recognition of our shared values. BRIGADE and Six-Point are both women-owned. We’re both results-driven and passionate about helping challenger brands,” noted Lynch. “We’re also both nimble, managed to grow during the Great Recession, and we’re confident we can help each other live out our missions in the uncertain times ahead.”
Another tip? Stay well-connected in woman-owned entrepreneurial circles.
Lynch and Modestow cite the connections they have made through the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and other entrepreneur groups as bearers of advice, resources, and new business opportunities — throughout their careers, but particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Communicate often. Support each other often. Brainstorm often. Work from an abundance mindset. That’s how we arrived at a partnership that gives both of our companies a competitive edge,” said Modestow. “We believe it’s this type of thinking that will help like-minded companies succeed in post-COVID times.”
