Brian Sooy
Brian Sooy & Co.

Business started: 1995

COSE Member since: 1995

Benefits of membership:
COSE has provided us with resources for services that our small business needed at just the right time over the past 11 years. We have benefited from health care plans and workers’ compensation plans offered through COSE’s Preferred Partners. I know that COSE has a wealth of resources that are perfect and always available for a busy small business owner such as myself.

About:
Brian Sooy & Co. was formed after I was laid off after 10 years as the creative director of a small design firm in Cleveland. Through some close relationships with Lorain County organizations and contacts from 10 years of involvement in Cleveland business, I was able to form a design firm – something that I had never planned on doing.

The arts that we practice – design to be specific – and business, are inseparably connected. Design has a huge impact on a business, from its internal and public perception (branding), to its printed communications and Web site, to the design of its products and ultimately to its bottom line.

Designers are artists (I have a BFA in graphic design), and it’s my belief that a good designer understands what it is to run and be in business. If I can put myself in the shoes of my client and their audience, I can create more effective communications on their behalf.

By running Brian Sooy & Co. with good business practices over the past 11 years, we have quadrupled our staff size and increased revenue, without sacrificing quality and design innovation. One of the hallmarks of our business is the long-term relationship we have with many of our clients. In a field where the average relationship between client and design firm is 30 to 36 months, many over our clients have been with us for eight to 10 years and more.

Our growth and success has earned us five “Golden 30” awards, a program that recognizes the fastest-growing companies in Lorain, Huron and Erie counties.

Advice:
What I learned early on is that while I desire to practice my craft, I have to be responsible to pay the bills and fulfill the requirements of the clients who hire our firm.

I’ve learned that cash flow is key to sustainability. We are diligent to maintain invoicing on a weekly basis, to ensure that steady stream of receivables for expenses.

I’ve also learned that what our clients want from us is for us to lead them. We emphasize leadership in all aspects of our design practice, both internally and externally. It’s a core of our customer service philosophy, and pays dividends every day.

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