No lip, all heart: We are an Inc. Best Workplace 2019
The only way to truly be the best at what you do is to know that being “the best” isn’t static. It’s a measure that rises and falls. It’s about looking back, looking forward and moving relentlessly towards a goal. The Black Sheep Agency is having a threshold moment – The Inc. Best Workplaces Award is out and we’re on the list.
Our commitment to fostering an environment where humans can do great work and actually enjoy it is not a rarity on this list, but it’s something the entire flock throws their hearts into every day. Today we’re honing in on yet another element that pushes the work we do forward: an unquenchable desire to get better and better… and an unstoppable curiosity to figure it the hell out.
Every day we ask questions that propel us forward. We challenge assumptions, we are deliberate in our dissections, we are just as obsessively thoughtful in our first draft as we are in that delicious final sentence before hitting print.
Our feverish desire to know ‘why, how, what could be better, what could be subtracted, what could life us up together’ is why we take turns sharing “inspiration” with each other during our weekly production meetings. Even though that sounds cute, we tend to surprise each other in big ways. In a few months, we’ve covered team collaboration via ‘burstiness’, where good ideas come from, how flowers impact cognitive performance and living for meaningful work.
We’re energized by what we do and each other. We’re driven by the desire to make the world a better place (for real) by charging forth with significant actions that we can test, measure and improve. Having a plan means we’re less overwhelmed by what we’re trying to do and more excited about what’s next.
Here are some things we’re celebrating today alongside our Inc. Best Workplaces win, in the hope that others are inspired as they continue their paths toward purposeful work.
We’re a B Corp and a certified Woman-Owned Business.
We work with nonprofits, civic organizations and for-profits who prioritize purpose and want to make the world a better place. We’re led powerfully with all voices in mind placing people over profits.
We love creating purpose-driven work for our clients.We get to build brands, campaigns and digital strategies for clients like Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher organization, the San Francisco Federal Reserve, Downtown Houston and UTHealth School of Public Health, activating millions of people around the world.
We have an award-winning culture that attracts talent who share our passion for social good.
We operate with a flat hierarchy and open book management mentality that empowers each person on our team to contribute their ideas, deeply consider how they can use their talents and be empowered to make financial and client-facing decisions that are driven towards our common vision.
We know how to have fun while moving things forward.
We like our monthly out of office ‘Field Days’, our annual ‘Magic Camp’ retreats and our mini-game celebrations to incentivize and celebrate brilliant new ideas and behaviors.
But beyond the fun stuff, the medical-dental-vision checkboxes, the constant experiential learning opportunities and free gym memberships, we work at Black Sheep because the work we do means something. It’s personally fulfilling and intellectually rewarding. And THAT is a culture worth building and an award worth celebrating.