By Kelly Schermer

Packing up and moving to the other side of the world, sights unseen, might seem impetuous for some, but for Aradhana Elisa it was the exact opposite. Listening to her talk about the experiences that led her from Chandigarh, India to Southern California to Seattle, make it clear she’s a persistent, passionate person open to new perspectives. In her role as a full stack developer at 2A, Aradhana’s winning traits have made her an invaluable piece of the web development team. 

Perspective

Aradhana approaches decision making with equal parts curiosity and determination. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, she knew she wanted to earn either a master’s in Computer Science or pursue an MBA. Instead of leaping directly into a program, she sought out a position at a software company as a user-interface (UI)/user-experience (UX) developer. In this role, Aradhana learned how to build new websites and software from the ground up versus coding into existing assets. It gave her a new perspective on what an advanced degree would provide, which she used as a springboard into her next phase.

Persistence

Sprint. Automate. Iterate. Lots of development processes focus on speed, but one of Aradhana’s greatest traits is her persistence—her ability to identify her goal and create a clear succession of steps to get there no matter how long it takes. After Aradhana decided to pursue a master’s in computer science in the United States, she set a year-long goal for herself and broke the monumental task into dozens of small activities logged in Excel sheets with timelines. From sitting for entrance exams to curating a list of target programs to applying to schools and completing Visa paperwork, Aradhana steadily chipped away at her long to-do list after work and on the weekends until her plane finally touched down in Southern California. 

Passion

Aradhana leans into her passions to get more out of every project. During her master’s program, she worked as a student assistant in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for Fresno State, where she taught herself how to build predictive models with Python to answer questions about the student population. While she had always known she liked working with data, she was surprised by how much. Instead of punching out to study the way most students do with university jobs, Aradhana brought her work to school, using it as the basis for her master’s thesis.

Judging by her personal and professional path, you might wonder if there’s anything too big, too complicated, or too tedious for Aradhana to tackle. From our perspective, probably not.

By The 2A Team

We couldn’t be more thrilled to once again be included in Inc. magazine’s 5000 most successful private companies of 2019. With revenue growth of 277%, we’re ranked 1488 on the list, in league with such companies as Famous Toastery (#1490), Spiceology (#1475), and Vac2Go (#1491).

In Washington State, Green Grass Foods rocketed into the top 20, at #13, with 11,623% growth. Rad Power Bikes grew 4,442% and landed at #63. Other Seattle companies appearing on the list include TomboyX (#349), Aduro (#3868), and Rain City Capital (#2777).

The number one spot this year belongs to Arizona marketing firm Freestar, reporting 36,689% growth. To which we can only say hot damn.

Appearing on Inc.’s list is an honor in part because we join such alumni as Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, and Zillow. We’re thrilled to be included among such notable, groundbreaking companies.

We wouldn’t have landed on this list if it weren’t for our clients. It’s a privilege to work with the diverse businesses that come to us looking for guidance on telling their stories. Every website we build, every animation we design, every whitepaper we write becomes part of 2A’s story. We feel immense gratitude to share this honor with the clients who entrust us to tell their stories, too.

By Guy Schoonmaker

The negronis were flowing, the oysters were shucking, and the creativity was vibing in a particularly groovy manner at 2A’s annual summer party.

Setting the tone for the evening were the wavy, wacky and wonderful animations being projected on the walls throughout our open Capitol Hill office. From there our clients, business partners, family, and friends mingled away in the spirit of gratitude and good times. Needless to say, it was a serious shucksess.

Riffing on the theme of creative reinvention (via the Grateful Dead), I decided to take the pulse of the party through an anonymous poll. The question: How do you get yourself into a creative mindset?

Here are some of the different ways our party-goers get their creative juices flowing:

Music helps a lot, soul and funk is my creative playlist. If I need to focus, then I’ll listen to something that’s closer to background noise.

I go with a blank sheet of paper, start with a basic idea, and go from there and draw it out.

I try to do as much creative stuff outside of work as I can. 

I like to think of creativity as problem solving, it helps me to see different approaches to solving similar problems.

Taking a walk or exercising helps me a lot.

I AM a creative, so I’m always in the creative mindset.

Forgetting about deadlines and rules to take a more holistic approach to the problem I’m trying to solve.

Getting out in nature and hanging out with my favorite tree.

We’re always looking for new and creative ways to tell our clients’ stories, and clearly the storytelling path can take many different routes. One avenue that works for us at 2A is collaboration. Whether it’s over video-conference or shellfish, we do our best work when we leverage our diverse set of creative and strategic minds while working hand-in-hand with our clients. And if there’s a refreshing drink in one of those hands, all the better.

By Ryan Boudinot

Who would you rather be—Luke Skywalker or Han Solo? This question, posed on playgrounds by wannabe Jedi since 1977, can help shed light on storytelling for business.

If you chose Luke, it means you see yourself as the central figure in your narrative. You’re the hero, the chosen one. The story is ultimately about you, your untapped potential, and your triumphs.

If you chose Han, you’re more interested in testing the boundaries and coming up with clever ways to get out of various jams. You also like the idea of flying around in a cool spaceship with a best friend who looks like a wig.

It’s easy for companies to think of themselves as Luke Skywalkers when, in fact, they’re Han Solos. Because here’s the rub—the heroes in a company’s story are never the founders or the team that designed that mind-blowing app. The heroes are the customers.

We all see ourselves as the central figures in our own narratives, and we all occasionally find ourselves in need of someone who can make the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs. By which I mean, someone who can help us overcome a challenge with bold innovation and bravery. That’s where you come in. Get ready to push your ship into hyperdrive. 

When the customer becomes the hero of your company’s story, you don’t have to worry about whether you’re the one. You get to fly around in your awesome ship, empowering your customers to fulfill their destinies, and making all the best wisecracks.

Of course, we at 2A know that the Luke or Han question is a trick one. The correct answer is Princess Leia, bravest of them all.

By Abby Breckenridge

Planning 2A’s Serious Party has us musing on topics like breakthroughs and the Grateful Dead. I’m impressed once again by how creativity leads us down various paths, and I’m getting excited to celebrate traveling down them with our clients and friends on August 1. You should come—it could be fun.

My four-year-old believes that when he squints his eyes and tilts his head just so, he has heat vision—an enviable super-power we’ve learned about from library books. I find myself wishing I had the same confidence in my ability to conjure up a big idea. But for me, creative breakthroughs seem to come along on their own timeline. More like a cat considering my lap than a superhero charging to the rescue.

Pairing the uncertainty of how to generate a big idea on demand with the business need to deliver reliable solutions for our clients might result in taking the easy path—recycling last year’s successes, relying on gimmicks, and following trends. But is any of that worth celebrating? We choose to celebrate the messiness necessary for innovation.

In the Amazon hit Long Strange Trip, Amir Bar-Lev presents an in-depth view of the 30-year career of The Grateful Dead. We see the band grappling with the same issue of how to accomplish day-to-day goals without closing the door to creativity. Their identity and success as a singular touring band relied on their ability to inspire the crowd to dance, but as a values-driven squad, they feared getting trapped into using stale ploys to move an audience. “Once it’s a device,” they said, “it’s frozen.” They took their commitment to creative reinvention seriously. We’re inspired by the Dead’s example even as we occasionally question their fashion choices.

Our task as a professional team of creatives is to walk the line between reliable deliverables and envelope-pushing innovation. We strive to build an engine that delivers results, works quickly, and navigates the realities of clients’ marketing needs, while nurturing a culture that invites new ways of telling stories. We believe we can actively cultivate creativity. We reinforce the practice of celebrating failure. We challenge ourselves with exercises that shake up how we think. We study and discuss work that doesn’t necessarily relate to ours. We learn from others and know that our individual paths are unique. We take the challenge seriously.

As you can see, we’re into taking things seriously—our work for sure, and also our clients, our family, our friends, you. So we decided to throw a seriously fun party that celebrates the long, strange trip ahead. We’d be thrilled for you to join us. But please wear shoes and park the microbus out back.

By Julie Lowy and 2A Storytellers

For 20 plus years I lived in the South End of Boston. Every June, when the city’s Pride parade came past my front door, I found myself at the epicenter of a rainbow party without leaving my stoop. Since I moved to Seattle to join Microsoft as a contractor, I haven’t had the same instant access to Pride. And I realized that on some level, I took the Pride community for granted.

This year, I decided to demonstrate my support for the LGBTQ+ community by embracing a more active role in the march. Being relatively new to the Seattle Pride community, though, I wasn’t sure how best to participate or what to expect from the experience until Microsoft gave me a front-row opportunity.

I’m here to report that standing for five hours under the blazing hot sun, pressed in a mass of sweaty people was everything I dreamed it would be—and more. And I owe it to the warm welcome of the Microsoft Pride team!

Microsoft Pride made it easy to participate. Over the course of 30 years, Microsoft has demonstrated its support for the LGBTQ+ community by implementing non-discrimination policies and acting as one of the first companies in the world to offer benefits to same-sex domestic partners. The Microsoft Pride program offers broad corporate-backed support for its LGBTQ+ community, yet it still retains a personal touch with a grass-roots feel. Case in point, I learned about the march when my client forwarded me the company Pride email and extended a personal invitation to join.

Microsoft Pride gave me a chance to make my voice heard. There have been far too many occasions lately in which I’ve asked myself what’s happening to our country. Despite the cultural gains we’ve made, it seems like the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are again under attack. Currently, 28 states do not protect individuals from discrimination against sexual orientation, and worldwide, over 180 countries lack marriage equality. This year especially felt like the right time to speak up—and doing so on the back of a corporate powerhouse helped me regain some of the hope I’ve lost.

Microsoft Pride connected me to a new community. Hundreds of Microsoft employees alongside their families and friends joined the march in solidarity. As I stood under the Microsoft Pride banner handing out computer stickers, buttons, balloons, and signs, I felt strength in the sheer number of those around me and support from the brand on our collateral. Don’t get me wrong, a logo slapped on a rainbow can reek of opportunism, but there’s no faking a vibrant, healthy community that wears the logo with pride. In an email that went out after the march, the Microsoft Pride crew encouraged us to continue to act and stay involved with the cause and the community. I plan to.

Joining the march has been twenty years in the making for me, but I’m not ready to sit down just yet (metaphorically speaking only—I still have blisters from the march). The Microsoft Pride team reminded me that hope, activism, and community don’t happen if everyone sticks to the sidelines and standing up for what I believe in can happen in unexpected ways—even at work. 

By Abby Breckenridge

One day, while on a walk in Interlaken Park, our creative director Daniel and his 7-year-old son noticed a terrifying beetle that looked ready for battle. Upon closer inspection, they were inspired to identify the crazy creature. Little did they know, their bug’s eye view would inspire our latest animation and challenge us to take a closer look at our creative process.

The Seattle Public Library asked us to create an animation that would excite kids about their Summer of Learning program and this year’s theme to “explore your world.” It had to capture a voice that would appeal to a diverse bunch of kids without being too childish, reference native Puget Sound plants and animals, and use watercolors from local artist Yessica Marquez.

These requirements led to an animation far different than the ones we typically build for our corporate tech clients (who tend to think of bugs as bad things). Here’s how we put our own creativity under the microscope:

We asked lots and lots of questions

We tapped into kids’ innate curiosity from the get-go, posing the sorts of provocative questions an elementary school student would appreciate. When we sourced our nature images, we asked ourselves, “What kind of plant is that? Is it native to the Pacific Northwest? Would a bee pollinate that flower?”

We got down in the weeds

As adults, we often fail to notice the natural wonders that surround us. This animation was our chance to get up close and personal with bugs, birds, and trees. The more we learned, the easier it became to convey the joy of exploration to the young scientists who we know will dig this program.

We used our hive mind

This project had a tight timeline, so we had to be resourceful and especially collaborative in order to deliver. We used a collage approach and pulled images from multiple sources. This allowed us to divide the work among more designers, then weave everything together cohesively.

Are you ready to bring newfound curiosity to your marketing? It’s time to make some new discoveries!

By Katy Nally

While you won’t find a crystal decanter full of scotch in 2A’s bar, and only occasionally are we passed out on our communal couch, there’s at least one member of our team who’s bringing the Mad Men flair to 2A. Our Senior Consultant Laurie Krisman has a way with words and a knack for storytelling reminiscent of Don Draper’s best advertising quips.

“It’s not a wheel. It’s a carousel.”

Laurie commands the beauty and power of language. After a few years as a high school English teacher, she decided that words really make her tick, and transitioned into the world of advertising where she could write more. At a small agency in Colorado, she worked as a copywriter, crafting snappy ads and serving as a gatekeeper to all phrases that went out the door.

Much like Don Draper’s famous Kodak pitch where he branded the company’s slide projector “the carousel,” Laurie knows the value of landing the right words to stir nostalgia and connect customers to a product. By the time she transitioned to lead marketing manager at Qwest (now called CenturyLink), Laurie’s campaigns appeared plastered on kiosks at malls around the country. Today, she’s our in-house expert for turning wheels into carousels.

“Success comes from standing out, not fitting in.”

Laurie delivers strategic marketing so clients can stand out. With experience leading marketing projects at enterprises, like Xcel Energy, and small companies, like MD², she knows how to build a story that resonates with the audience and solves business problems. First, she does her homework and analyzes the customer; then she ties in her clever way with words to produce meaningful assets that make an impact.

As a senior consultant at 2A, she’s found her sweet spot between creative and strategic. She may not work on Mad Men’s Pond’s Cold Cream account, but Laurie’s strategic thinking has helped 2A’s clients stand out.

“Technology is a glittering lure.”

Laurie expertly cuts through flashy tech talk to expose the real story. Don Draper knew what made each of his clients’ companies special—from Ocean Spray, to Jaguar, to Cool Whip—and Laurie operates the same way. She makes it a priority to follow the latest news from Microsoft, Amazon, Apptio, and F5 to understand the tech behind the trends. She’s fascinated by the power of the cloud to transform business operations, which makes her a perfect addition to the team.

We can’t promise cigarette-choked office buildings, or hard-liquor lunches, but when you’re ready to go a little Don Draper on your uninspired marketing, give us call. We’ll toast Laurie, Seattle-style (a grande, quad latte), and all the Madison Avenue talent she brings.

By Erin McCaul

For someone who generally dislikes sitting still, recovery has always been an active verb. I run, climb, hike, ski, and bike, and recovering has meant yoga and foam rolling, pulling garden weeds, or walking my dog. The idea that recovery could also be a noun that describes just resting didn’t dawn on me until I read Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery by Christie Aschwanden. She roped me in with her study on whether or not beer aids recovery after running, and blew my mind with her revelation that recovery used to be a noun, but has evolved into a verb—and not always for the better.

My son is almost 2 years old and goes to daycare full time. As a household it feels like we’re sick every single week. While my son bounces back from everything within 24–48 hours, his toddler super germs lay siege on my white blood cells for weeks at a time. I used to think that I could will myself healthy with Emergen-C, Throat Coat tea, and strong coffee. Just another active-verb type of recovery to fit into my busy life.

The partners at 2A recently reminded us all that WFH (work from home) days shouldn’t replace sick days. Thinking back on it, I realized it had been six years since I’d taken a real sick day—a genuine, stay-in-my-jammies, watch-bad-TV, nap, camp-on-the-couch sick day. Instead, I would push through it, trading rest for dialing into meetings, working on projects, and responding to messages. I convinced myself these days were restful because I wasn’t in the office. But nowadays, I’m not so sure about that.

Besieged by the latest round of toddler germs, I decided to try something radical. With the support of my manager and team I took an actual sick day. I spent the day napping, eating soup, and sipping tea. I generally stayed offline and truly rested. And you know what? It worked. I got better, faster. I felt sharper at work and was a more present mom and partner at home.

One of our words we work by is “great work requires being well,” and that sentiment has empowered me and the rest of my team to take real sick days. While my recovery as an athlete remains an active verb, I’m happy to report my sick days are officially nouns again, and that is helping me stay active.

By Katy Nally, Kaily Serralta, Annie Unruh

Pride month in Capitol Hill, at the very least, guarantees you’ll see some rainbows. The crosswalks are repainted, flags are hung in windows, and stickers glue themselves to mailboxes, all to rally support for the LGBTQ+ community and welcome this weekend’s parade. For-profit brands, too, are riding the rainbow wave, but it can be hard to tell which ones are just cashing in on consumers’ pride for Pride, and which ones are actively trying to make a difference in the LGBTQ+ community. Here’s how you can tell:

Is their LGBTQ+ enthusiasm inherent to their brand? For most of the large, national brands, their LGBTQ+ connections aren’t part of their overall brand stories, and instead just jump on the Pride bandwagon once a year. In this case, the rainbow filter on their logos is usually fleeting. Consider digging a little deeper to find those (usually) smaller and local companies that have a brand story connected to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Case in point, Seattle clothing company, TomboyX, which was founded by two lesbian women who wanted to make underwear that fit regular bodies across the gender spectrum.

Are they aligned with an LGBTQ+ organization? Rainbows in June can start to feel like snowflakes in December. And many brands recognize the power of the rainbow to sell merchandise. While slapping a colorful arch on a T-shirt might make a sale, before you buy, consider where your dollars will end up. Plenty of companies are putting their rainbow revenue to a good cause. For instance, American Apparel will donate 100 percent of its Pride collection proceeds to the Los Angeles LGBT Center. 

Are they featuring LGBTQ+ people in their ads? Marketing to LGBTQ+ customers calls for representation by LGBTQ+ people. When brands uplift LGBTQ+ models, actors, and community figures in their ads, it demonstrates a more authentic connection to the LGBTQ+ community. And by using trans or queer models, who may have different styles or body types than mainstream models, brands empower customers to see themselves using their products. For its rainbow collection, Ralph Lauren featured comedienne Patti Harrison, and Tyriq and Cory from the queer youth group Hetrick-Martin Institute.

Are they using the right words? While rainbows successfully communicate a connection to Pride, they don’t really make a statement. American Eagle’s pride collection uses words like “gay” and “queer.” Messaging gets easier when you use the right words, but some brands aren’t ready to take a stand and speak up.

Rolling on a rainbow doesn’t have to be a brand’s only means of supporting the LGBTQ+ community. There are much more meaningful actions companies can take to show their solidarity during and post Pride. And brands can always opt to give up their space on the stage entirely, in favor of amplifying LGBTQ+ voices. As an informed consumer, you have the power to hold companies accountable for simply trying to profit off Pride.