The Image Shoppe, a Grand Rapids marketing and brand strategy company, has people packed wall-to-wall in its small shop at 368 Diamond Ave. SE. With the addition of six new people in the last 12 to 16 months, and with more growth possible in the near future, co-owner Rob McCarty says the only thing that's slowed them down is lack of space.
The new positions added by the Image Shoppe have taken the company's client offerings in new directions, and added more hands and minds for existing services. Those positions include a web designer/developer; a creative designer; a strategy and business development person; an "experience ambassador" that heads up social media and web marketing; and a previous part-time contract web development position that is now a full-time staff position.
McCarty's wife, Karen Tracey, started the company in 2006, working from home. In 2003, McCarty and Troy Best bought into the firm and the three started working collectively, meeting in client's offices or at coffee shops, before making the move to their current location.
But now, the question of having adequate space is a regular topic of conversation.
"That's our current Achilles' heel," McCarty says. "We own this building and the property up to Wealthy Street, so do we try to expand this building or relocate? We couldn't pack another person in this office of 900-square-feet. The reality is that we want to stay here, but we're in the early talking stages."
In the meantime, The Image Shoppe has built relationships with outside partners they collaborate with when the need arises, including
Clark Communications,
Wondergem Consulting and Full View Video.
"We have tons of talent in West Michigan and there's lots of fun to be had in business," McCarty says. "We're having a good time here, and I hope people can start accepting that [the economy] is getting better. I hope we can all work together to get moving and not dwell on the other."
Source: Rob McCarty, The Image Shoppe
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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