At Base Beauty Creative Agency, founder Jodi Katz and I often talk about our raison d’etre. When Jodi started the agency, she did so with the firm belief that success and kindness are not mutually exclusive…that it’s possible to produce outstanding creative work for our clients while treating those creating it with respect and support. These values are woven into everything we do and have become almost second nature to us, although we never take them for granted. We actively focus on weaving them into our work and our interactions with each other. And if you follow us, you know we talk about our values a lot!
Part of this approach is the way we invest in our team. Over the years, we have cultivated a “nose” for the type of talent and the type of person that is the right fit for us. In interviews, we try to project how a candidate, nurtured and supported by the Base Beauty community over time, might grow and develop, wherever their career path might lead.
Our continuing education efforts are substantial. We enroll our team in programs, classes, and webinars to expand their skills which benefits them personally and, of course, pays great dividends for our clients. We also pay for courses and programs suggested by team members and include them in industry events whenever possible. Some of our younger hires and (always-paid) interns are still in college, so we help them integrate their Base Beauty work with their studies. As of this writing in mid-October, our team has accumulated 1250 continuing education hours this year for our staff of 25.
Jodi has a metaphor for our growth that I love as it reflects our philosophy while underscoring how far we have come in 16+ years. She talks about how, at the beginning, we were like a small medical practice with a doctor or two and a few support staff. Now we’ve evolved into a full-scale teaching hospital with departments and layers, and endless ways to nurture our team through multidimensional creative and marketing opportunities. We are delighted to share our knowledge and experience with everyone on our expanding team. Our gentle, step-by-step way of teaching is defined by veterans working alongside younger hires to guide, support, and encourage, building skills and confidence and proudly watching as they become data-driven creative experts.
Message our CEO with your thoughts: How do you develop talent in your business? We’d love to know!