A creative transformation story: Forepoint

Here's how Forepoint achieved change.

“We were steady, profitable and proud of our work,” says Steve Gill, Forepoint’s Managing Partner, “but we wanted to be more deliberate about where we were heading. We needed a stronger proposition and to be more strategic in how we grew, and we knew that if we got that right, the confidence of the whole business would follow.”

The partners already knew of DBA Expert Ralph Ardill’s work with other creative businesses and sought his perspective. With decades of top-level client and agency-side experience, he had helped design firms reinvent themselves through the same imagination and discipline they offer their clients. What began as a conversation about strategy and confidence quickly opened into a broader dialogue about purpose, performance and the future shape of the business.

Ralph reframed the challenge. What Forepoint needed wasn’t another round of tweaks or away days. It needed a transformation approach rooted in purpose, lived in practice and built to last.

“From our first meeting it was clear this was not about fixing anything broken. It was about unlocking potential,” reflects Ralph Ardill. “I introduced my proven creative-transformation framework, developed over decades with world-class clients and agencies, to help Forepoint rediscover who they are, what they stand for and how they grow. It was about embedding a new way of building confidence, capability and momentum across the business.”

Turning transformation into a creative act.

The partners and leadership team began a structured journey with cross-disciplinary teams tackling briefs across the key drivers of agency value: commercial, creative, cultural and client. At heart, it was a creative endeavour with Ralph re-imagining business transformation for agency life.

“The moment we started treating the agency as a creative project, everything changed,” says Forepoint’s Creative Director, Keith Noble. “The energy in the studio lifted. People felt involved, responsible and proud again. It gave everyone permission to bring their best thinking to the table.”

As momentum built, the framework embedded a living system for growth, reviewing progress, celebrating wins and setting transformation briefs for the year ahead. What began as an experiment became Forepoint’s new way for guiding its own future. “That moment was a real turning point. For the first time we could see the whole business working as one: one purpose, one plan, one energy,” says Steve.

“We never talked about change as a business project. We treated it as a creative transformation brief, structured, collaborative and focused on the areas that drive the greatest value,” highlights Ralph. “Its power lies in combining commerce with creativity, imagination with discipline and turning ambition into results you can see every day.”

Embedding the approach.

A shared value proposition soon emerged. Forepoint now knew exactly who they were for, why they mattered and where they had the greatest right to win. Teams became more self-assured and conversations with clients more confident.

“We have now got the clearest sense of who we are and what we stand for that we have ever had,” says Steve. “That shared understanding has made every decision simpler and given everyone in the business a new sense of confidence.”

Each year, the journey is now marked by Forepoint’s annual Captivation away day, celebrating progress, sharing learning and setting fresh priorities. The work also created a platform for the next generation of Forepoint leaders to step forward. Ownership now sits across the business, ensuring the approach lives on beyond any single individual.

“It is not about top-down directives anymore. The framework gives everyone a way to think and act creatively about the business itself. That is the real culture shift,” reflects Keith.

That shared ownership has rekindled pride across the agency and a renewed sense that Forepoint controls its own destiny.

The transformation has also delivered a series of impressive agency firsts:

The biggest single client win in Forepoint’s history, new consulting services, value-priced client programmes and a next-generation management team. Creative standards, confidence and consistency have never been higher, proof that transformation can touch every part of an agency when it is owned by everyone.

Business impact. 

Over the last two years turnover has risen from £1.9 million to £2.8 million and gross profit from £1.4 million to £2.0 million supported by record staff engagement, stronger board-level client relationships and a continued shift from projects to programmes of work.

The new Forepoint website captures the clarity and assurance that now defines their work. Externally, Forepoint is being invited into higher-value conversations and industry forums. Internally, pride and purpose have never been stronger.

“The results speak for themselves,” says Steve. “But for me the biggest change is confidence in our direction, our offer and our team. We are prouder than ever to talk about Forepoint, and our clients can feel that difference.”

“Creatively we are in the best place we have been for years,” adds Keith. “We are seeing bolder ideas, faster decisions and better collaboration. All proof that culture drives performance.”

Why it's working.

Forepoint’s success lies in the blend of courage, focus and commitment. The team embraced a challenging but proven approach and made it their own. They invested consistently and treated transformation as a creative act, not a management exercise.

Lessons:

Start with possibility, not pressure

Know who you are, why you matter and where you want to go next.

Treat your business as your most important brief.

Use the same imagination, discipline and craft you give your clients.

Build a system, not a sticking plaster.

Keep it alive year after year.

Be the change together.

Involve everyone to turn participation into pride.

Become your own best case-study.

Design the business you want to be then live it.

Says Steve: “We’ve gone into this with our eyes open, we know change is hard, not everything will work and we’ll make mistakes along the way but as long as we stick to the plan, keep pushing, keep learning and keep improving we’re more excited than ever to see what the next chapter of our story holds.” 

The next chapter.

Forepoint continues to work closely with Ralph, applying the same framework to its future growth plans, building the future management team and winning ongoing programmes with new and existing clients.

“What we’re building isn’t just a stronger business, it is a model for how creativity can keep unlocking an agency’s future,” says Ralph. “I’m bringing my framework and experience, Forepoint are making it their own and together we’re delivering the next chapter, not just dreaming about it. That’s where the real transformation lives.”

“We set out to reinvigorate the business and along the way we’ve reinvigorated ourselves,” reflects Steve. “With a business we believe in again that now has the confidence, focus and approach to write our own next chapter and encourage other agencies to believe that meaningful change is possible, even in these uncertain times.”