The Labs & Co. | Animal Photography + Design

“We appreciated all that you invested in us. It made all the difference. And, if someone is lucky to get to work with you, they better be ready to WORK it.”

The Labs&Co is an innovative photography and design+marketing company for the pet industry, taking them to a whole new, elevated level, providing gorgeous imagery of companion animals and design solutions for people, companies and causes. Born of a deep love of animals by its creators, Bill Parsons and Natalia Martinez, and a kindness to "give all" for those they serve, this company began in earnest with the same heart they display today.

It is extraordinary to realize that this dynamic business known today as The Labs & Co began only 6 years ago.  And it began as two fully separate companies while it’s talented owners/entrepreneurs, Bill and Nat, worked other jobs full time!

With talent, heart and passion leading all they do,  their vision and innovation in the world of animals is a "one of a kind."  They have created a business presence that demonstrated those qualities to the world.  And like all good stories, it had an interesting beginning.
 

The Challenge

Being a photography and design business is very hard work, especially when you are open to everything and not sure of what will really serve you -- big talent with lots of directions!

Bill and Nat of The Labs & Co. (previously Photo Lab Pet Photography + Design Lab Creative Studio) chose Janie Hewson and Marketing Creative's help translating all that love and beauty into an amazingly well marketed business when they first began to make a living do what they loved.

They were ready to develop their fledgling customer and commercial businesses and to show the world an authentic photographic style and branded design.  They needed materials that showed the excellence of their businesses, systems that worked for them to be seen and remembered. And, they needed to create results that let them afford to work full time doing what they loved in their own business!
 

The Results

Marketing Creatives worked with Nat and Bill to create a custom plan to make their goals "do-able."  They went to work building two compelling websites and all the necessary materials while we practiced skills of sales, the pitch, the systems for follow up and how to farm contacts from social media.  

Their websites and subsequent materials were only the beginning of the story. Exploring their opportunities and acting on them was exhilarating and terrifying, but absolutely necessary for attracting good clients regularly, building their reputation and working toward their goals. Their success came from a great idea, serious talent and their persistent hard work that was shown to the world.
 

In Their Own Words

"Once we found our path our work was to create a custom approach to get as much as possible. Essentially, we combined our efforts to create a marketing plan that was built on solid ground, with sound principles for attracting good clients regularly, while building our reputation for our future goals.

Having Marketing Creatives with us on this process made all the difference and we had so much fun even while working so hard to build our custom Plan, then take the action it needed to work and to continually evaluate our progress to our goals. She always pumped us up to tackle the work ahead :)

Hiring Janie Hewson and Marketing Creatives is the best investment you will make for your creative business. We've known her for a long time and working together was an unbelievable experience. She made us analyze and think about our business in a whole different level. We really feel Janie has been instrumental in getting our business to take shape and up off the ground.  If you're serious about your business, she's your great choice."

Greg Benson | Architectural + Commercial

“Marketing Creatives helped create a habit of accountability for getting my goals accomplished. This partnership made the difference.”

Architecture and portraits stand at opposite ends of the photography spectrum, and that’s just how Greg Benson likes it. His ease and expertise in many areas keep him capturing the built environment and the people who create it. With a resume that includes work for architectural firms, developers, real estate professionals, major corporations as well as civic institutions, and innovators in education, science and research, Greg’s life as a commercial photographer has been a successful one.
 

The Challenge

Technology and economics changed the playing field and Greg decided to modernize his business. While his photography was excellent, his marketing materials were serviceable but dull.  Social media was driving big changes to marketing.  His ideas were solid but the way to interface his market had changed.  He needed to see a whole new way.
 

The Results

Greg went to work to learn how to innovate his business.  He sought young, creative artists that added vibrancy to his marketing materials.  He stepped out of "traditional" formal ways of interfacing with clients and began a strong and smart social communication beginning with his blog and utilizing other media to reach the "right" audience for his work. His numbers went up, year after year -- numbers of jobs, numbers of dollars and numbers of "friends!"
 

In His Own Words

"It took me a year to make the decision to hire Janie Hewson and Marketing Creatives.  She was compelling but I wasn't ready.

When I called again, I was more than ready and we took off. Hewson wastes no time getting to the heart of the problem(s) and then, relentlessly, steadily and with great understanding moved me to make the changes that changed my business substantially and created a renewed success and great profit.

I would have to say that part of what I value about working with Janie's Marketing Creatives is that she is an “outside person” who pushes me to work ON my business.  When I first researched her clients, before becoming one myself, I talked with her ceramic artist who said, “Janie is a real whip cracker” and I knew that accountability and motivation could help me more than anything.

Now, into our third year together, Marketing Creatives and I still have many things to work on. We get to them quickly and make amazing progress as a team.  I will be adding an entire digital filmmaking category to my services and expanding on the ways I can grow my creative. Life is good."

Kirsty Iredale | Fine Art Ceramics

“Marketing Creatives holds me accountable to my dreams and has worked with me to build an amazing pottery studio business.”

Talented, experienced and prolific Kirsty Iredale, Potter is reluctant to call herself an artist, though she most certainly is one!  She is a ceramicist of quiet renown who teaches pottery to all ages, produces functional and beautiful pieces and is often invited by various groups to represent art in clay.  A true artist, she is also a painter, a bird-whisperer and an advocate of the natural world that she celebrates in her functional clay art.
 

The Challenge

Bringing Kirsty Iredale, Potter to the world was a huge challenge for Kirsty. She is a really hard worker but she needed all the marketing and business acumen she could get.  The work of taking a business with all these facets and keeping it engaged with past, present and future students is a behemoth project.  Each year she adds different ways to engage her audience — using social media, direct mail, public appearances and joining many other enterprises to gain new followings.  And each year has had special obstacles to overcome as she builds her business.
 

The Results

Now she teaches year-round classes to students of all ages.  She maintains a gallery full of her creations that customers love to buy. And she participates in many area showings and demonstrations while pursuing her art.  Wow. Kirsty is a constant learner.  There is no new way to be that she doesn’t try to understand and use.  She is relentless in keeping all the balls in the air.  She is disarming as a person, motivating and inspirational as a teacher and truly a gifted potter, making her creations desired for sale.
 

In Her Own Words

"Being a sucker for taking on a challenge, or for trying out different options, I am often following many paths at once. Marketing Creatives has worked with me for many years, teaching me “a thing or two” at a time.  Janie works hard to keep me from being overwhelmed.  I am reminded that it takes a village and that, although I enjoy tackling all of the aspects of running my business, there aren’t enough hours in the day. 

Working on the automation of lots of marketing materials — blog releases, Facebook posts and LinkedIn updates — has freed me to teach, talk, throw, and to breathe a little. 

Learning how to be an effective “relationship-maker" keeps me sane and makes my business sweet.  I have so many friends -- from the two 5 year old students to the folks who brought their 95 year old grandfather and all the many others in between.

Keeping up my commitments to myself, my business and my life is my priority.  Marketing Creatives holds me accountable to my dreams and has allowed me to build an amazing pottery studio business."