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FeaturedOpinion

Garage 366 revs its engine….

by Ahmad Sabra, Managing Director, Garage366 - Partner Content.

Ahmad Sabra, Managing Director, Garage366.

Garage 366 was founded in February 2015 with a vision to bring inspiration and innovation to our team, clients and partners by being the fastest growing, most rewarding and transformative advertising agency.

OUR VISION LIES BEYOND TOMORROW TO EMPOWER BRANDS FOR LIFE

As a new agency, our challenges were to identify the needs of the market and overcome the obstacles of gaining clients’ trust and recruiting professional talents that believe in our vision and overcoming any threat that the competition poses, as there is no room for error.

The fear of all business startups was the starting point of launching the engine of Garage 366.

The challenge was to recruit the most talented and experienced team and fueling them with the power of ‘WHY NOT’ philosophy that opens doors to endless possibilities.

One of the most important factors that defines organizational culture within a startup company is the synergy of the team.

Our team is our biggest asset. We are one entity comprising of a select group of highly skilled and experienced professionals. Each person within our team is a not just a player but also an innovator who brings something unique to the table. At Garage 366 we invest in continual training and development to ensure a spirit of curiosity, youthfulness, creativity and eagerness to provide pioneering and effective business model.

The engine started and the road to endless possibilities are vast! Our first goal was to convince our first client to ride along with us and enjoy the journey.

Winning a client’s trust is one of the most difficult challenges for any business in general, and for startups in particular. With a highly satisfied and loyal client base, startups can scale and make progress towards excellence.

In April 2015, we worked so hard to win our first client, a global leading sport retail business that was breaking into the region “Under Armour “. They believed in our skills and gave us the opportunity to lead their communication strategy in the GCC.

Today Garage 366, with a portfolio of over 40 sustainable clients globally, regionally and locally, has set the expectations high and created a unique positioning for what is called  “Boutique Agencies “, which has become a threat to other players in the market.

Our ride was against the heavy wind, but the extensive experience that our team has gained over the decades of working with multinational agencies has taught us to prepare ourselves to enjoy dancing in the storm.

The competitive environment keeps new businesses on their toes, as no margin of error is accepted. We always tend to feel the heat of the fierce competition. In order to survive in this competitive business environment that covers both traditional and online businesses, we need to play smartly, and rise above the competition that tries to weigh us down, in order to gain the much-needed recognition amongst the clusters of ever challenging and expanding businesses.

Garage 366’s recognition started with the first digital award received in 2016 in one of the most prestigious events “The MENA Digital Awards “and we shone by being shortlisted in the Festival of Media Global which took place in New York in December 2017.

Through our great work, Garage 366 team has won so far over 34 awards across different categories against leading multinational agencies, and was crowned with the ‘Digital Agency of the Year’ in 2017.

To survive the long road trip, we know that a mixture of great service and complex tools are a must.

 Businesses should be built around delivering excellent client service. To gain clients’ trust and loyalty we need to work hand in hand to enable them to succeed in their pursuit of attaining the height of sustainable growth and the progress they desire to achieve and challenge their business objectives.

By gaining new clients and offering new services, Garage 366 has grown an average of 72%  year-on-year. This growth has been fueled by sophisticated training systems and investments in leading tools/technology. This development has helped us exceed our clients’ expectations with an impressive full score retention rate.

Our partnership with IPSOS in the last 3 years, the leading research agency in the MENA region, has fueled our team with knowledge and data that empowered our strategic planning process with insights and business ROI.

To have a safe trip, have the right kind of insurance.

Partnership is the essence of success in this ever-expanding and ever-changing economy, where organizations need to battle hard for their survival; it is difficult to find trustworthy partners. It really is a big challenge!

Partnerships pay great dividends for the new business, but they need to consider a variety of factors before making any decision to collaborate with another company working in the same ecosystem, it should look for organizations that enjoy a sound presence within the market and a good reputation amongst the industry giants.

At Garage 366 our partners are the major part of our growth story and we choose them carefully. Their insurance is our handshake, which is one of the highest forms of symbolic currency with the power to unite, seal deals, and broker peace. It is a simple gesture that can be more informative to people than a whole host of written proposals and grand speeches. Garage 366, believes in the integrity and meaning of a handshake. Once we shake hands, the deal is made official.

We engage in the full experience of partnership with our suppliers, every step of the way, ensuring that we produce the highest quality of work together, for our clients.

Before sitting behind the steering wheel, set the course of your expectations.

New businesses tend to face challenges when they set unrealistic expectations following a booming success.

This is where new businesses need to translate what the real expectations are. Sustainability requires consistent efforts.

In order to succeed in a competitive business world, we need to have high, but controlled expectations, keeping an open mind of the resources available, the extent of growth potential, and other market factors as well. Success is short-lived and expectations never end.

Finally, don’t forget your wallet at home.

 Choosing your financial consultant is the key to business success, many businesses close everyday not because they are not good at what they do but because they don’t know how to manage their cashflow.

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