The Story of Sproing
To look back on a journey is to fully appreciate where you are now. At Sproing, as we push forward, we can’t help but reflect! We’ve been blessed with trials, tribulations and lessons learned. We’ve had an absolute blast serving our clients and community, and we’re just getting started!
With that being said, we’re proud to announce the launch of our new website and brand! During the last few months, while continuing the valuable work we carry out on behalf of our clients, we took time to reflect on our identity moving forward. It’s always been our philosophy that as the world changes, so should we.
In the following blog, we want to take you on a fun journey from the humble (and often ridiculous and hilarious) beginnings of Sproing and trace our history up to the present day, leading to our renewed identity and focus. Each period below is concluded with a question, which required an answer for us to keep moving forward. So without further ado…
This is our story.
Origins & Obligations (2008-2012)
Sproing began as a fusion between two entities. Heath was a freelance photographer and graphic designer, and Clint ran a website design and development business. These two entrepreneurs shared a workspace and client list before taking the plunge to merge their two businesses into one. The blend of creativity and technology allowed them to deliver a diverse range of services to clients under one unified brand.
Meanwhile, Real was exiting the real estate industry, where he worked as a broker and property manager here in Vernon, to focus on business coaching. Earlier in life, Real earned a degree in engineering and obtained significant experience in the management of a forestry company and engineering software company overseas in New Zealand!
As Real said goodbye to the real estate world, he steadily added clients to his consulting business. He was referred to Heath and Clint, coached them through their business merger and was tasked with helping grow the Sproing brand. It did not take long for the three entrepreneurs to notice that the combination of Real’s strategy and business growth experience, Heath’s creativity and Clint’s technical knowledge made for a formidable team. Real formally joined the gang, and the three of them began to brainstorm a more cohesive business model.
At this point, you may be wondering: why “Sproing”? With the great Mike Meyers and the accompanying crew of Saturday Night Live as comedic inspiration, Sproing became our permanent identity! Our first slogan was:
“Sproing: the sound that great ideas make!”.
This name was formulated in 2010 and we officially incorporated in late 2011. With the business established, a burning question remained:
How do we establish a sustainable marketing business with a team of free-spirited freelancers
The Long & Winding Road (2012-2016)
Believe it or not, Sproing’s humble beginnings were defined by a one-room garage and an admittedly elementary vision. Our working space included a microwave and fridge, an adjacent barn boardroom, a compost toilet, and five dogs of wildly varying energy levels. It was interesting, to say the least, but we made it work.
During these early days, we discussed the opportunity of running a sustainable business while still allowing for ample recreation time. We refused to believe that this balance was unattainable. With that being said, there were practical challenges to this commitment. In a business climate that celebrated working long hours at the expense of family and recreation, especially during stages of high growth, we dedicated ourselves to rewriting the rules.
First, we identified a need to implement internal processes and systems. Client projects were carried out skillfully, but without much forethought to things like labour cost, billable hour ratios and appropriate hourly rates. Proper systems provided the structure necessary to make work/life balance possible. Additionally, we offered freelancers the opportunity to become dedicated employees. Most obliged, while some are still contractors to this day!
At the same time, the industry changed at warp speed. People spent more time online and we adapted by innovating and strategically adding services like Video Production and Digital Marketing. Technology doesn’t wait for the world; it creates a world of its own.
The new question became:
Even with the right team and processes in place, how do we prepare for the opportunity of high-growth?
The Formative Years (2016-2020)
To answer the above question, there was one glaringly obvious fact: We needed a real office.
To elevate our value proposition, we not only needed a proper place to conduct client meetings, but also a place for every Sproinger to feel at home. So, we made the plunge! We entered our current location in early 2016 and haven’t looked back.
Two key things happened in the first 18 months of this period…
The first was that our culture was becoming rooted in something stronger than any one of us. We quickly earned a positive reputation in town, which led to the second key: We got busy. Very busy. With our proverbial plate filling up quickly, we added talent to help us conquer the workload. This was a golden opportunity to add new, valuable marketing services.
We expanded our horizons on the client-front as well, attracting many businesses outside our local area including several international clients (an African safari and a golf course in New Zealand, to name a few!). We also conducted a brand refresh to showcase who we are and what we can offer.
Internally, we established career development plans for all current employees and re-tooled our hiring processes to attract talent consistent with our emerging company culture. What resulted was nothing short of extraordinary.
As this period drew to a close, we faced yet another question:
With an established reputation and brand value, who are we best equipped to serve and how do we broadcast the value we can offer to target audiences?
Where We Are Now (2020 & Beyond)
Continuous improvement. Relentless refinement. Exemplary results.
These qualities embody today’s Sproing Creative. We’re committed to the power of structured collaboration, keeping the needs of the client at the forefront. With Real busy “engineering the heck out of the marketing process” to allow for growth and sustainability, and the ever-imaginative Heath leading the charge of everything creative, the focus is now on heightening our service proposition in the BC Interior.
We’re primed and prepared for even the most challenging marketing objectives and have the portfolio to prove it. We have all the right people in the right places to accomplish the marketing goals so crucial to business growth and success.
Right now, our primary focus is on innovation and precision. Our team is comprised of a diverse range of individuals, representing nearly every continent in the world. It is this new, polished approach to marketing that led us to update our existing website and brand identity.
We’re more prepared and motivated than ever to serve Interior British Columbia. This is where we work and play. It is the community we so proudly call home.
