Meet Our Founder: Andrea Koeppel
Join us as we celebrate 20 years of creative excellence with our founder Andrea Koeppel. Get a glimpse into Andrea’s inspiring journey, as she shares her thoughts and insights. Discover the philosophy that drives Ocreative’s success and sets us apart in the industry.
1
What inspired you to start your own marketing agency?
My professional journey has been an affirmation of resilience, ambition, and self-belief. The inception of Ocreative was born out of a passionate defiance against the conventional norms that attempted to discourage my professional career—a combination of the difficult job market and my pregnancy. The experience made me determined to define my own path, make a name for myself, and support my growing family. With encouragement from Matt, I dove into the necessary legalities and jumped into the entrepreneurial world with both feet.
2
How did you come up with the name Ocreative?
The inspiration behind the name ‘Ocreative’ stemmed from the reactions of my existing clients admiring ideas, often saying, “Oh, that’s creative!” I tried to encapsulate its essence into a single word, and created our own word, ‘Ocreative.’ The concept also resonates with my interest in the symbolism of circles—representing an endless journey of creativity and innovation.
3
Who is your role model?
Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, has been an inspiration in my professional journey. Her invaluable guidance has nurtured my passion for color, empowering me to weave it with design and the story to strengthen the message and enhance its meaning. The decision to attend her classes and become a certified color consultant has been pivotal in steering my brand color decisions for over a decade.
David Baker, a renowned agency consultant has helped to create measurable growth goals for Ocreative through leveraging his insightful events and thought-provoking emails and books to help shape our growth trajectory.
4
How do you find inspiration?
I find daily inspiration by monitoring evolving trends, award sites, following thought leaders, and from the collective creativity of the Ocreative team.
5
What’s your favorite part about your job?
My favorite part of my job is branding and marketing strategy projects as it requires collaboration and exploration into technical and conceptual work.
6
What does “success” mean to you and the company?
Success for me is not about an arbitrary number, it’s about taking care of the people that I care about most—my family, my team, and clients. I want to move forward, make lasting changes, and have fun doing it.
While financial prosperity is certainly a goal, and it’s crucial to maintaining a stable position, I firmly believe in the cyclical nature of goodwill—that the positive energy we invest in the world inevitably returns to us, creating a virtuous circle of success and positivity.
7
What’s the leadership style like at the company and how does it influence the company’s culture?
My leadership approach tries to foster an environment that encourages growth and the exploration of new ideas. I have always committed to open dialogue and cultivating mutual trust, which are elements that I believe have significantly shaped our company culture in a positive way.
8
Where do you see the company in 5 years?
Looking ahead, I envision Ocreative focusing on innovation, reputation, and team growth. We will stay on the forefront of marketing technology and trends, continuously innovating, inspiring, and influencing positive change while our skilled team becomes regular contributors to top industry publications and conferences along with delivering comprehensive solutions to clients, especially expanding in the healthcare sector.
9
What do you love most about your team?
I love the activities we engage in as a team—from potlucks and games to festive afternoons. I also love that our daily dialogues strike a balance between humor and earnestness. The camaraderie significantly contributes to our collective growth, culture, and productivity.
10
What challenges have you faced while growing your agency, and how did you overcome them?
Over the last 20 years, we’ve survived market volatility, inflation woes, global changes, partisan divisions, and technology obstacles, to name a few. In each challenge, I believe having processes and systems in place has allowed us to be agile and quick to pivot.
11
What has surprised you?
It’s surprising how difficult it is to write about yourself and answering these great questions!
12
What is your most memorable memory at Ocreative?
There are so many memorable moments at Ocreative! One stands out above all – the inaugural act that set everything in motion. It was the simple gesture of extinguishing a candle atop a homemade Ocreative cake on November 1, 2003. This marked not just the official launch of Ocreative, but the beginning of an extraordinary journey.
13
What do you do to decompress after a long day?
After a long day, I decompress by gardening and plant shopping! There’s satisfaction in sowing a seed, nurturing it, and witnessing its growth. For me, this process is not just therapeutic, but also serves as a beautiful metaphor for life and work; you reap rewards proportionate to the care and effort you invest. And we also learn sometimes that you can do your very best but there are other factors at play that are out of your control. However, you must get out there and try again with the new knowledge—and fail better! =)
14
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
What gets me out of bed in the morning is a fresh opportunity to make a meaningful difference.
15
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own marketing agency?
Launching your own marketing agency is a monumental task! It requires confidence to step into the uncharted territory with the conviction that you are fully capable of succeeding. The variety of responsibilities to handle is extensive and you must navigate unexpected hurdles—do you jump with confidence or limbo under and learn next time how to jump better. You need to be prepared for challenges, persevere through them, and believe in your ability to triumph over them. It’s a demanding and stress-inducing endeavor, but it also calls upon you to summon your inner strength. It’s crucial to have a supportive team and partner by your side and remember each step forward is a step towards fulfilling your vision.
16
What sets your agency apart from others in the industry?
Our organizational structure is designed to drive results. We’re not looking to knock someone down, just so we can stand up. We find ways to grow taller to see above and reach goals. Emphasizing collaboration over competition, Ocreative fosters an environment where creative personalities are encouraged to do their best work. Their commitment to delivering the highest level of customer service and award-worthy quality further underscores our distinction in the industry. The team’s expertise in conceptualizing and crafting original content ensures that this story resonates and sets brands apart in the market.
For the past two decades, Andrea’s exceptional leadership, unwavering passion, and relentless dedication have been the driving force behind Ocreative’s success. It’s inspiring to witness her commitment to pushing boundaries and shaping the future of creative marketing. As a team, we are excited and looking forward to continued growth and prosperity at Ocreative as we celebrate this milestone.
