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A collection of lingering questions

We understand that choosing an agency partner can be a time consuming and frustrating endeavor. We assembled this FAQ to help make that effort just a tad less stressful by providing addition transparency into how we work and what you can expect.

Our Approach

Getting Started

Your Investment

How is your approach different from typical marketing providers?

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll find that nearly every small business marketing provider sells the same menu of services: social media, website design, logo, PPC, video, or budget design services. What doesn’t get addressed is whether your product or service is properly positioned, offers unique value or stands out in a crowded market.

This is why our starting point is business strategy. Before we touch any marketing tactics, we spend 3 weeks figuring out how your business should actually compete. We're asking and solving first-order problems: What should you be known for? How do you stop being a commodity? What makes customers choose you over everyone else?

What kind of strategy do we practice?

“Strategy” is one of those overused, widely misunderstood terms, so it's important to clarify what we mean and the work we do.

Pure business strategy is the foundation of everything else because it's about what a business does. When people say 'brand strategy,' 'social media strategy,' or 'marketing strategy,' these are all subsets of business strategy.

This is why we start with business strategy first – only by defining the unique value your business creates can we craft the proper downstream work to promote it. A common mistake is hiring a branding agency or a brand strategist and expecting them to fix everything. All brand strategy can do is present your business in the best possible way as it currently operates. Having brilliant brand strategy applied to a flawed offering is the very definition of putting lipstick on a pig. This is why so many rebranding efforts fail as it has no influence on the root problem.

How do I know if I have a strategy problem versus a marketing problem?

Here are the telltale signs: Your marketing used to work but doesn't anymore, you're spending more and getting fewer results, competitors are copying what you do (or perhaps you are copying what competitors are doing), and you struggle to explain why customers should choose you over alternatives.

These are all common symptoms of a strategy problem, not a marketing problem.

Why is it called an “accelerator” program?

Speed and execution are killer advantages in business—especially for underdog companies facing off against bigger competitors and countless copycat offerings.

Our accelerator program delivers what typically takes 8+ months in focused sprints. You get a structured framework, clear milestones, and foundational elements built specifically to transform your business with agility and intention.

What makes an ideal client for Sparkco?

Like you, we're looking for win-win partnerships, and we're completely okay with not being the right fit for everybody.

Since we'll be spending weeks doing intensive work together, chemistry and mutual respect really matter. Our best clients share our core values, believe in our strategy-first approach, are open to bold creative ideas, and have full buy-in from leadership.

It’s not required, but having a sense of humor helps.

Do you have experience in my industry?

We get why searching for industry specialists is the default search criteria. But what might seem sensible on the surface might not always be the best answer. When it comes to strategy and brand work, having deep insider knowledge often means you’ll get the same groupthink solutions they offer everyone in your space.

We are guided by our framework and our curiosity. We bring fresh perspectives and push for a challenger mindset that is needed to break from the status quo and become a remarkable brand.

That said, we have been around the block and bring two decades of diverse experience across financial services, e-commerce, CPG, experiential, pharma, travel, fashion, and nonprofits.

How do I know if I'm ready for this?

Clients come to us when they've hit a wall—growth has stalled or started to decline. If you're looking for quick growth hacks or a cosmetic makeover to fix these problems, we're probably not the right fit.

You'll know you're ready for Sparkco if your intuition is telling you that what we do is refreshingly different and makes total sense. Most importantly, you're open and eager to change.

Why do you offer 1-on-1 consulting sessions?

Because sometimes founders need immediate strategic guidance on a specific challenge without committing to a full transformation.

To maximize value, we ask you to submit your questions in advance. This gives our Founder Pete time to diagnose your situation and offer targeted perspective on how to address it. You can book these sessions whenever you need focused strategic and creative input. Of course, some clients will book a consulting session to “test drive” our services before starting the full program – we think it’s smart and would encourage it.

Do you have a waitlist? How far out are you currently booking?

For our SparkShift Accelerator Program, we're currently booking 2-3 weeks out depending on demand. We made a conscious decision to only work with a limited number of active clients at any given time to ensure everyone gets top-notch thinking and quality service.

Why is there a dog on your website?

That’s Sparkle. She is the epitome of an underdog. Small in stature, but has a personal brand that punches way above her weight. She keeps a watchful eye on us to make sure we’re being goooood at taking care of our clients. Visit Sparkle at her digital playground and consider giving her socials a like.

How do you measure success? What results can I expect?

Success can be measured with analytics but it can also be felt and seen in the culture.

Clients see early signs of progress within weeks—clarity, confidence, team alignment. Financial results follow over time, with revenue growth within 6 months being common, often revealing itself in higher profit margins as you reduce reliance on promotions and competing on price.

How much would a full accelerator program cost?

You can find pricing details on the Services page FAQ.

What if I’m not happy with the progress?

Our intentional approach is designed to keep everyone aligned to goals. But in the rare chance it does happen, we'll talk about it openly. We're not the type to get defensive or make excuses – we'll figure out what went wrong and fix it.

Can I just do the strategy phase?

Absolutely. Strategy is our core strength, and clients can decide to stop at Phase One and implement the rest themselves. That said, about 95% of clients continue on because they see the value in having the same team translate strategy into other phases of the transformation.

Can we skip strategy and just hire you for creative services work?

In our experience, what most small businesses claim is strategy is usually a set of vague directions or aspirations. True strategy requires hard choices and difficult trade-offs that few are willing to make in order to achieve real breakthrough.

If you believe you have a strong strategy in place, we ask for an opportunity to review your existing strategy to see if we are the right partner to carry that forward.

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A collection of lingering questions

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