For No Fixed Address, the Future Lies in Founder-Led Brands
Over the past few years, there’s been a notable uptick in founder-led brands and entrepreneurial endeavours. Whether it’s the existence of new technology making the world of business more accessible, or consumer dissatisfaction motivating belief that it can be done better, those without traditional marketing backgrounds are getting in on the action, reshaping the industry landscape.
Of course, this has a ripple effect – one which is currently making its way across adland. These fast-moving, resourceful and deeply personal brands still need strong marketing partners… but not necessarily in the traditional sense, according to Toronto-based independent agency No Fixed Address.
As a founder-led business itself, built off the back of two industry entrepreneurs (Serge Rancourt and Dave Lafond) seeking something more agile and fearless than the traditional holding company structure, its team is aware that companies like these need something special. Whether it’s helping build creative infrastructure, establishing a foundation, or utilising experience-led tools to generate lasting demand – all without sacrificing the personal nature of these brands – each case requires a unique effort to truly build with intention, which is something the agency has actively sought out across its history.
With that in mind, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with No Fixed Address’ vice president of brand strategy, Brittany Dow, and vice president of experience strategy, Thomas Wilkins, in order to learn more about what these partnerships entail, and how they use their own experience working at a founder-led business in order to better serve their clients.
LBB> Tell us about No Fixed Address’ relationship with founder-led brands. Why are these relationships so important to the agency?
Brittany> We love founder energy. No Fixed Address (NFA) has always felt a natural pull toward founder-led brands, probably because we are one ourselves.
Truthfully, founders are built different (IYKYK). They bring an urgency, passion, and personal investment that we find infectious. And, they need partners willing to ride shotgun and embrace the chaos and challenges that come with high-stakes growth – something NFA was built for.
Thomas> There is so much potential in this space, especially because more brands are emerging than ever before. According to Harvard Business Review, Americans are filing 59% more applications to start new businesses than before the pandemic. It’s a new age of the ‘there must be a better way’ mindset.
In turn, this surge means founder-led brands are becoming a much bigger part of the marketing landscape and, naturally, a much bigger part of the day-to-day agency ecosystem. And while some might see that as daunting, we see it as the future.
LBB> Let’s talk more about the fact that you yourselves are a founder-led business. How do your experiences help you better work to suit the needs of similar brands, and grow in tandem?
Brittany> Being a founder-led business ourselves, we know a thing or two about growing a business from scratch. And it’s often the not-so-glamorous details that are the most essential, like defining the product, developing the elevator pitch to investors, or figuring out shipping and logistics. These things don’t typically end up in a press release, but are essential for a business to thrive. The stakes are high, so every detail counts – something we’re always mindful of as we work with other founder-led brands.
We also learned early on that we need to be distinct beyond our offering. The same is true for emerging brands or brands at an inflection point looking to scale. With the rise of dupes and a constant conveyor belt of ‘new’ things to buy, relying on product alone won’t cut it. That’s where we come in. We live by one mantra – ‘never stop exploring’ – because growth happens in unexplored places and there’s always more growth to unlock over the horizon.
LBB> Building on this, what does it take to help a founder-led brand grow? Does the recipe change from company to company?
Thomas> Always. There’s no single recipe, and anyone selling you one probably hasn’t worked with many founders.
Our model stands against being fixed and stagnant. Our founders, Serge Rancourt and Dave Lafond, came up in the industry but wanted to do things in a better, ‘non-fixed’ way. So, we don’t believe in rigid processes. Instead, we operate under guiding principles that can flex across clients and stages. That means there isn’t a single solution for clients; we adapt our approach to the opportunity.
Throw out that playbook – the rigid processes, the approval ladders, the assumption that the client always knows what it needs on day one. We are not here to force founders into a process (that is just counterproductive). We are here to build a process with them, based on where they are in their journey and their vision. That means being fluid in how we work, structure teams, and approach compensation. Everything flexes to meet the opportunity, because no two brands, or founders, are the same. The traditional model just can’t keep up and adapt fast enough.
LBB> With that in mind, how would you say you’ve embodied these sentiments within your own growth? As a founder-led business, what makes you different from your competitors in the industry?
Brittany> NFA is built for any size of business, but what sets us apart is our ability to see potential early on. Where some agencies see risk, we see creative rocket fuel. That early-stage uncertainty doesn’t scare us, it’s where we thrive because there's nothing more fulfilling than working with a brand on the cusp of something new.
Also, once we're in, we're all in. The entire agency rallies behind the emerging brand – a commitment that founders feel from the start. But we never want to weigh down momentum. That’s why we build tight, nimble teams from the jump, and scale support as needed.
To this end, our culture plays a huge role in making that possible. If we aren’t vibing, then the work suffers. But when our teams are in sync, the energy flows, and founders feel this. It’s all connected – a collaborative, tight-knit crew makes for stronger, happier partnerships.
LBB> Returning to your point that traditional agency models aren’t built for founder energy, and can’t adapt fast enough, why is this?
Thomas> Founder energy is different because it’s personal. Their business isn’t ‘just a job’, and they often risk everything to build something from scratch. This brings a sense of urgency, high stakes, and a deeply personal connection to the work.
Our responsibility is to harness that energy, help stabilise it, and make it meaningful for their brand. It takes relentless empathy instilled in every member of our team.
Founders are also rarely marketers, which means dropping the ‘inside baseball’ lingo or assumption that something is obvious or known. It also means being prepared for not having the answers and figuring it out together. It’s not about selling work, but building and co-creating a business.
And, for Brittany and I, this isn't just theoretical. We both come from entrepreneurial families and we've seen first-hand what it takes to start something from nothing, and that perspective is baked into how we work with founders every day.
LBB> Of course, not all business needs are the same. How do you work to provide flexible, meaningful offerings across the brands you work with? Can you give us some practical examples of this?
Thomas> We have a radically simple approach to unlocking growth: ‘Brand & Experience’. This is where the two of us – brand and experience strategy – work together. We start by helping set the foundation of what makes the brand great, or what we call a ‘brand operating system’ (its positioning, architecture, and identity). Then, we connect that greatness with people and the world across the entire customer journey and media ecosystem.
Also, it’s never one or the other. A successful brand is only as good as its experience (cue the fallen tree trope). More specifically, our offerings are built around real needs and tangible value. For founders, that often means tools like brand playbooks, a central document that aligns their strategy, CX, elevator pitch, RTBs, and design system. It becomes a launchpad for internal alignment, investor conversations, and faster go-to-market.
We also help them plan for what’s next, building out production budgets, media scenarios, and the infrastructure needed to scale consistently. Most founders don’t come from the ad world, so it’s our responsibility to guide them towards what’s right for them.
LBB> What are some of the best pieces of work which you think have come from these types of relationships? Tell us about them!
Brittany> The one I hold near and dear to my heart is the medical clinic, Lume Women + Health. A group of trailblazing female doctors and health professionals came to us to brand a first-of-its-kind clinic for women facing mid-life. So, we built the brand from scratch: the name, voice, design system, and digital/physical experience.
Not only is that kind of work deeply personal and mission-driven, but these sorts of relationships remind us of what’s possible when brand and experience are built with care, craft, and founder conviction.
LBB> As an experienced company in this line of work, what would you recommend other founder-led businesses with similar infrastructures implement in order to achieve long-term growth?
Thomas> In a constantly shifting world, there is much more to do, and less budget to do it. Even the biggest brands sometimes need to operate like startups. We see it everywhere, from major QSRs optimising their menus in real time with AI, to CPGs standing up sustainability wings to entirely rethink how they operate.
This is why we’ve evolved how we work, to meet these new needs with speed, adaptability, and care. Today, working with any client demands constant movement, testing, and treating brand-building as a living process. So, whether it’s a startup trying to scale, or a legacy player looking to stay agile, our approach stays the same: meet the moment, build with purpose, and never lose the ‘why’ behind it all.
Brittany> Invest in your brand foundations early on: who you are, what you do, what makes you distinct, and who you’re for. Yes, the product is everything, but defining your brand is what will drive growth and scale beyond launch.
Next, invest in the infrastructure to run your business and get things out into the world. Ship, test, learn.
Finally, vibe matters. Who do you want riding shotgun with you day in and day out? Personality, enthusiasm, and shared passion go a long way. This, plus talent and expertise, are essential to consider before choosing an agency.
LBB> Finally, looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, what does the future look like for founder-led businesses and agencies? Do you think this is a direction we’ll continue to see the industry shift in?
Thomas> More brands will be at an inflection point than ever before, and they’ll need help navigating their growth. In particular, founder-led brands move fast, often without having a process to follow, and agencies that can meet that pace with grit, flexibility, and a co-building mindset will thrive. We have to define this new way of working, rather than follow it.
This year, and looking forward, will not just be about spotting potential, but being willing to shift how we work to unlock it. Every conversation with a founder is a chance to reshape how we help, bringing brand and experience together to build the infrastructure that fuels their growth.
Brittany> We’re going to see more brands built from passion, frustration, and the belief that there’s a better way. So, it’s going to be an exciting year, and we cannot wait to keep exploring with our founder friends. Not only is NFA founder-led, but many of us come from entrepreneurial families. We get the late-night worrying, the excitement from every sale, and all the sacrifices along the way. That mindset is part of who we are, and it shapes everything we do.
The future of this industry is anything but fixed. It’s fast, it’s personal, and it’s being rewritten by people brave enough to bet on themselves. Let’s get it!
