Holy sh*t – we’re in Forbes!

We say this every year, but 2022 was one for the books – and we have our clients and our ever-growing team to thank for that. While being humble is one of our core company values at Carte Blanche Studio, we also think it’s important to celebrate our wins (like one of our co-founders being named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list!). 

We’ve also launched digital strategy and blockchain development as client services and are in the midst of creating a brand-new community focused on cultivating entrepreneurship. Let’s take a look at some of the year’s highlights and what’s next for us in 2023. 

 

1. Hello, Forbes! 

Does this mean we can finally take a breather? Not a chance! All joking aside, we couldn’t be more proud of our co-founder & CEO, Ahmed El Dani, who made the Forbes 30 Under 30 Marketing & Advertising 2023 list. El Dani is notorious for never giving himself credit – so naturally, he attributes his success to everyone but himself. 

“Honestly, this wouldn’t have been possible without my co-founder and team, and I attribute my success to them – this award is for them,” El Dani said. 

But anyone who works with El Dani sees the hustle and how much he cares for the people around him. 4 a.m. wakeups are not uncommon, and his calendar is typically jammed-packed, yet he always finds the time to support his team and clients in any way he can. 

This year, El Dani is focused on continuing to scale Carte Blanche Studio with the services our clients find the most useful – like full stack development, digital strategy, and blockchain development, which we’ll dive into in a minute. 

So what’s El Dani’s best piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? At this point, it’s all about consistency. 

“Nothing happens overnight, so you have to be continually evolving so you can be the best you can be for you and your team,” El Dani said. “That’s why my routine – and time blocking – is so important to me.” 

 

2. New team members and new services 

Although we got our start as a branding agency, we’ve become a fully-stacked marketing agency by recognizing where our clients need support and offering those services. 

We saw a need to streamline clients’ digital strategy, so we did just that in 2022 and will continue to expand this service moving forward. 

“No matter how great your product and or branding is, without an audience, it’s useless,” said El Dani. “Our digital strategy vertical allows us to build an audience for our clients and achieve their mission, so we can close that marketing gap.” 

Obviously, we needed to find a top marketer for the job. Enter Tessa Sousa, digital marketing and visual design extraordinaire with a background in project management. We know – we lucked out big. 

“Digital marketing has become such a significant part of our culture; you can’t avoid it if you want to be successful,” said Sousa. “We take pride in our clients, the products they offer, and we’re focused on achieving their desired online presence and getting them the exposure they deserve.” 

We’ve also introduced blockchain development as a service in 2022, and our stellar new designer, Timothy K., has joined the team to assist. More and more businesses are using blockchain to share, view and store digital information securely, and Timothy and team can help build clients’ platforms and speed up information exchanges. 

 

3. Introducing… The Lenny!

Last but certainly not least, we’re thrilled to introduce The Lenny – our new monthly newsletter that provides unparalleled insight into the most inspiring and influential people propelling our sector forward. 

“Our goal with The Lenny is to build a unique community,” said El Dani. “We’re firm believers in providing non-transactional based value, and we believe all great entrepreneurs deserve a pat on the back once in a while and should get to enjoy the spotlight.” 

The Lenny (shorthand for The Loud Entrepreneur) tells real entrepreneurs’ stories without the usual fluff and celebrates the nitty-gritty that comes along with both success and failure.

“We as entrepreneurs tend to be very hard on ourselves, and we don’t take the time to reflect and celebrate our achievements, so we want to help with that,” El Dani said. “We think inspiring the current and next generation of entrepreneurs and building this community is super important.” 

Subscribe to The Lenny to receive the very first edition straight to your inbox, which features an exceptionally talented individual with an incredible brand. Plus, we’ll be throwing some events soon that you won’t want to miss out on! 

 

Learn more about Carte Blanche Studio

Carte Blanche Studio is Toronto’s leading creative agency. We’re passionate about the world around us and helping brands authentically express themselves to build a more connected future. Visit us online to learn more.