Building an In House Creative Agency from Scratch
CalVEBA | Director, Creative & Brand | 2023 to 2026
The starting point
CalVEBA is a nonprofit health trust serving public sector and education employees across California. When I arrived, there was no creative function. The brand was fragmented, and there was no project management system, file storage or communication process. The team was two people, both new to the business and with almost no design experience. I reported to the Director of Client Marketing & Communications.
The challenge
Build a creative studio from nothing, inside a regulated healthcare environment, with a team split between in office and remote staff.
The approach
I started with a written plan: a document of recommendations covering people, tools, process and standards. We built from that, working with the IT department on everything from computers and software to servers. The goal was for CalVEBA to have a single creative source, run like an agency of record and not a service desk.
The system
The most important early decision was putting structure around the work. I put in place:
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Project management software to track every incoming and outgoing request
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File servers so in office and remote team members could work from the same assets
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Production pipelines, review steps and communication standards
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A modern software and hardware setup that matched what any professional studio uses
The brand
I rebuilt the entire brand and wrote the 51 page Brand Book, which became the creative standard across the organization.
The people
I trained the two original designers up to a professional level, and one was later promoted to a higher position. I interviewed and hired replacements, then expanded the team to add film and motion graphics, so we could produce video and graphics in house. Everyone on the team had regular one on ones and clear performance expectations. The new hires are performing at a very high level.
The work
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Delivered 100+ projects a year
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Led creative on a $100K+ healthcare website redesign, keeping copy and design within HIPAA and other government regulations
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Managed creative for annual events with 300+ attendees on a $100K+ budget
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Directed vendors and external agencies
The results
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Cut typical revision cycles from 5 to 10 rounds to 2 to 3
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Moved significant production in house
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Created a brand system and creative standard that the organization uses today
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Built a team that grew in skill and in responsibility
