Description

Five years ago, we did something that felt a little like a risky move and a lot like a revolution. We moved away from our 16-year-old identity as "Workbrands" to become Shaped By, an independent B2B creative agency for the tech world.

In this very special episode of The Changemakers, Dave Corlett sits down with our Founder and CEO, Nick Farrar, to reflect on the half-decade journey of bringing bold creativity and brand momentum to the B2B tech market. Nick pulls back the curtain on why he decided to go all in on a new brand, a new geography, and a new strategy during a global lockdown.

We’re unpacking:

• The rebrand reality: Why finding a name was harder than expected and the "lightbulb moment" that led to Shaped By.
• The US market slog: How we built a reputation in the US without a physical office in the country by focusing on "Human-First" relationships.
• Values over ego: Why culture and values are entwined and how we protect our "people-first" mentality as we grow.
• The AI inflection point: Why we aren’t an AI-first agency, but rather use it to augment human creativity to help our clients differentiate.

Whether you're an agency founder struggling with your positioning, or a B2B leader curious about the agencies operating in your world, this episode is a masterclass in staying curious, being bold, taking risks and resisting the path well-trodden.

Timestamps

• 00:00 - The 16-year-old startup: why it was time to evolve Workbrands.
• 05:26 - The name-search struggle and finding the "Shaped By" identity.
• 10:19 - Handling the "wobble": investing in sales and marketing when it felt like a luxury.
• 14:27 - Why effective B2B new business is about nurturing, not quick fixes.
• 17:01 - Building a "People-First" culture as a sole director.
• 24:05 - Winning the US: why a physical office isn’t necessary, but being present is.
• 31:00 - Selling talent, not software: the motivation behind the metrics.
• 34:07 - The AI "Human Sandwich": using tech to augment, not replace, creativity.
• 42:12 - Growth pains and the secret to success: letting the "applause" follow great work.
• 47:43 - The next five years: becoming the employer of choice in B2B.

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