Neil and Stephanie Walker-Wells, Former TBWA and Rethink Execs, Launch not so secret

^{Photo credit: Jake Killorn}

Neil Walker-Wells, former executive creative director at TBWA\Toronto and Stephanie Walker-Wells, acting head of production at Arrivals + Departures have partnered up to launch not so secret. A hybrid creative and production company based out of Toronto, the two will be using their combined experience working across markets such as South Africa, New Zealand, Dubai and Canada to unite these traditionally separate offerings under one roof.

Firm believers in utilising a human-first approach, ensuring creative can be feasibly executed from the get-go, and their new model, ‘Creative to the power of production’, Neil (chief creative officer) and Stephanie (president and head of production) will be aiming to achieve groundbreaking work with those who are “curious, ambitious and open.”

With a few projects already under their belts – one for Europe’s largest tech training provider, QA.com, and production support delivered for MediaBrands Content Studio – things are already off to a flying start. Although Stephanie will remain in her role at Arrivals + Departures until the end of December (after which she will continue to assist the team on a project by project basis), it’s clear that things are already in motion – something worth following in the months to come.

To learn more about not so secret, the timing of this launch, and gain a sense of what to expect, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt had a chat with Neil and Stephanie.

LBB> Neil, Stephanie, congratulations on the launch of your new shop! How are you feeling right now, and what does this moment mean to you?

Stephanie> Thank you! Honestly, we feel really proud. This has been a long time coming, I always knew we’d build something amazing together, and now that it’s finally real, it feels both thrilling and strangely grounding. We’re doing exactly what we love, on our own terms, and we’ve been intentional at every step leading up to this. It means everything.

Neil> Some things in life just feel unquestionably right, like this is what you’re supposed to be doing. So yes, it’s definitely been worth the journey to get here, not just in terms of building a business, but shaping a way of working that actually reflects how we want to make things.

LBB> How long have the two of you been working on this idea together? What has the planning process been like leading up to launch, and what made now the right time to officially open your doors?

Stephanie> We’ve talked about going into business together for years. But in the last 12 months, everything really aligned, personally, professionally, and creatively. We gave ourselves a full year to plan, set milestones, and work toward launch, which has been such a rewarding process. We both know how much value planning brings, as well as carving out extra time to craft.

As for timing, now is perfect because content is moving faster, clients are seeking flexibility, and there's a growing need for hands-on, strategic production that's embedded in the creative from the start.

Neil> We’d chat after work at our respective agencies and discuss challenges, frustrations and potential solutions, and it became clear to us that the industry needed a model that wasn’t either/or. Not big creative thinking or smart, nimble production, but both, involved from the beginning.

Planning-wise, over the last year, we’ve been pushing the model around while keeping an eye on the trends and developments. Then, for the last seven months or so, we’ve been focussed on our brand stuff and all the design work, curating a talent roster, and aligning with partners. We’re launching now because, frankly, we’re ready and feel the market’s ready for us too.

LBB> What are your main aims and ambitions for not so secret? What should people know about you right off the bat, and how are you hoping to leave your mark on the Canadian advertising industry?

Neil> No surprises here, but it’s always about doing great work. We want to put work out there that feels like not so secret work – fresh and different – while providing creatives, producers, directors, and clients with the opportunity to share themselves in ways they’re proud of – ones that move people and help them succeed. We’d love to show the world that big creative thinking, high craft, emotional intelligence, and nimble execution aren’t mutually exclusive, but the new standard.

Stephanie> We want to offer high-level creative and production services to ambitious smaller brands and larger companies that are genuinely trying to evolve, especially those making strides in sustainability or social impact. There are so many exciting new businesses doing incredible things, but they’re not always resourced to compete in a tough market. We want to support them in telling their stories and growing their audience.

LBB> Tell us more about your model: ‘Creative to the power of production’. What does this mean, and how do you envision this working on a day by day basis?

Stephanie> It’s really ‘the best creative thinking, production ingenuity and craft, together, from the start’. Traditionally, production comes in too late in the process, which often leads to reworking ideas or budget surprises. We think there’s a better way. At not so secret, we bring production insight and innovative thinking into the creative process early. On a daily basis, it means we’re in the room from brief to delivery, asking the right questions, spotting creative opportunities, and removing the guesswork. It’s a model built on integration and trust.

Neil> This ensures that our creative thinking is amplified by the best and latest production possibilities, and vice-versa. And, that the best creative ideas and productions are not only achievable, but are also elevated to their fullest potential without compromising quality or budget.

It also allows creative to influence jobs we get on the production side, allowing guys to sharpen the creative as it’s made. That’s why ‘Creative to the power of production’ isn’t just a line we trot out, but a way of working.

Day to day, it means fewer handoffs, and way more collaboration. Production challenges aren’t surprises, they’re opportunities we’ve anticipated. We’ve lived on both sides of the process, so we’ve built a model that respects both fully.

LBB> What are some of the advantages from marrying creative and production expertise under a single roof? What does it allow the two of you to do which other shops might not be able to replicate?

Stephanie> It makes things faster, clearer, and frankly, better. There’s less friction between teams, more collaboration from the jump, and the ability to pivot or problem solve without losing time or compromising quality. And because we’ve both worked across global markets and scaled many types of work, we bring that range of experience and perspective to every project.

Also, our model is about being lean but incredibly capable. We’re able to tailor teams based on the brief, pulling in the right talent from our trusted freelance network that we've built up over years of working around the world. It keeps overheads low and quality high.

Neil> From a client perspective we’re the place where they know they’ll get top-level creative delivered, guaranteed. Ideation and execution. Big, small, quick, complicated, any format, using the latest tech. No ‘Here are some ideas that we may or may not be able to afford’, or ‘Does the idea work in x format?’ loops.

LBB> On a practical level, what might this look like? How will you use your experience on both sides of the spectrum to amplify output?

Stephanie> We bring complementary strengths. Neil is the creative, he’s got big ideas, a sharp eye, a strong sense of story, and a deep understanding of strategy. But crucially, he also gets production, what it takes to bring ideas to life, and how to make the most of every element.

I’m the producer, I thrive in the logistics, timelines, and orchestration of people and process. But I’ve always worked closely with creative, and I know how to protect and elevate the idea through smart, efficient production. I’m also obsessed with the production innovations/AI space. Together, we cover the full spectrum, and we love building teams around us who do the same.

LBB> Another point of emphasis is that you both want to bring a human-first approach to the work. Why is this so important to you, and how do you plan on embodying this?

Stephanie> We’ve both seen that people do their best work when they feel heard and supported. Our industry can be tough, fast-paced, and high stakes, but that doesn’t mean we forget to be human. We work hard, but we lead with empathy.

This shows up in how we build our teams, how we talk to clients, and how we treat each other. We care about the work, but we care just as much about how we make it.

Neil> Human-first from a creative and advertising perspective also means starting from a place of understanding and empathy, knowing what the audience actually cares about, and how we can make them feel something. In an industry chasing scale, algorithms, AI integrations, outputs and generated slop, human insights and emotions matter more than ever.

LBB> How will you be using past experiences to inform the way you run the business? And, broadly speaking, how are you finding things thus far?

Neil> I got into advertising quite late, and honestly, one of my main learnings has been to always try to understand the pressures people are under. That’ll continue to serve me well, as we’ve built a process that’s transparent, personal, and collaborative. Just honest conversations and thoughtful work.

So far? It’s been a proper adventure. We’re building a business we believe in and are lining up talent we admire. So many of our peers are genuinely excited for us too, which is awesome. What more could we ask for?

Stephanie> One more key lesson: trust your gut, plan well, and then stay nimble. That, and know when to bring in the right people.

So far, it’s been incredibly energising. Challenging in the best ways, and a real reminder of why we love what we do.

LBB> Logistically speaking, tell us about your new setup! Is it just the two of you right now? And where can people find you?

Stephanie> Yes, it’s just the two of us at the core, but we’ve got a deep bench of top-tier freelancers we bring in based on the needs of each project. These are people we’ve worked with across different countries and campaigns – people we trust, and who love collaborating as much as we do.

We’re based in Toronto, but we work nationally and internationally. We’re nimble by design, and happy to go where the work takes us.

Neil> While we’ve got a hell of a talent roster, from strategy to web to UX to teams, we’re also sharing the love and, in fact, the talent when we can. We used Matt Jones at THIRD HORIZON Studios to do our branding – a designer in London shaping a shop in Canada. Boundaries don’t exist anymore – local insights are what’s vital.

LBB> Finally, what does the name 'not so secret' represent to you? How did you choose it?

Stephanie> The name came from this idea that there’s no magic curtain. We’re not pretending to have some hidden playbook, we’re experienced, we’re good at what we do, and we’re honest about how we do it.

With the rise of AI and shifting agency models, the idea of pretending that creativity or strategy is a mystery just doesn’t work anymore. We want our clients to know exactly what they’re getting: smart thinking, beautiful work, and a process they’re part of.

Neil> We also wanted a name with some of our personality, and that ultimately reflects our philosophy. I think that anyone who has worked for or with us knows we believe that great work comes from working hard, being scrappy, and genuinely caring about the ideas and output.