Communication Arts: So...How Do Virtual Creative Agencies Work?

For an industry built around forward-thinking ideas and a universe of inventive minds, you’d think someone would’ve reimagined the traditional creative firm long ago. Sure, offices have gotten facelifts, spaces are more open and cubicle walls have been lowered. But for the most part, brick-and-mortar design and advertising workplaces have barely evolved. Of course, if ain’t broke…you know the drill. But something’s obviously not jiving. There’s a growing unrest among experienced creatives disillusioned with conventional agency methods, so much so that the desire to create meaningful work in more cost-efficient, flexible, and personally satisfying environments is pushing talented folks to think outside the walls – literally.

The results: creative collectives, networked models, distributed teams – however you label them, virtual creative agencies are popping up in coffee shops, co-working spaces, and homes across the country. And while the notion isn’t entirely new, ditching the cool studio space in exchange for a business run from wherever there’s Wi-Fi, with an entirely remote employee and client base, is becoming a heck of a lot more viable thanks to ever-emerging technologies.

But how exactly does the business-sans-building model work? For answers, I tapped on the (non-existent) doors of the country’s leading virtual creative agencies for tips on making this unlikely venture succeed. Check out my full article in Communication Arts Magazine below: