From Systems to Success: A Look Inside VBG Creative’s Q2
- Todd Valentine
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
Inside Q2: Systems, Strategy, and Storytelling
Episode 10 of the VBG Podcast gave listeners a behind-the-scenes look at VBG Creative’s Q2, from internal systems and project classification to video storytelling and nonprofit growth. Featuring co-founders Todd Valentine, Wels Blanchard, and Al Gregoire, the conversation tackled everything from AI implementation to emotional storytelling during the Sankofa trip.
If you’re a nonprofit leader, small business owner, or startup founder, this episode breaks down the real-world execution behind creative strategy. Here’s what stood out.
1. Video That Drives Results
VBG’s storytelling capabilities are more than just good content—they’re built to convert. A standout from Q2 was their Sankofa video produced for Catalyst for Harmony. Beyond the technical quality, it captured the emotional depth of the experience, bringing viewers inside the multi-state journey through America’s civil rights history.
According to Todd, "We’ve learned how to use video not just to document, but to make people feel like they were there. Our work with Catalyst is some of the most powerful visual storytelling we’ve ever done."
🎯 Video Strategy Tip: The team emphasized that immersive storytelling—montages, ambient sound, and emotional cues—elevates engagement far beyond single-angle footage.
2. Why Q2 Was a Systems Breakthrough
This quarter, VBG doubled down on internal workflows. Wels highlighted the new classification model for incoming projects, stating, "We started building templates inside Notion to track every campaign—from video production to email launches. It’s our backbone now."
🔧 What Worked:
Improved internal communication with 1-on-1 check-ins
Project classification (design, campaign, video, etc.)
Early AI integration and SOP development
Streamlined briefs (creative, production, strategy)
This move positioned the agency to scale without sacrificing creativity or clarity.
3. The Nonprofit Growth Package That Raised $54K
The VBG team also reflected on their work with a nonprofit client that raised $54,000 in just one campaign, accounting for nearly 50% of their yearly donations. This success was powered by VBG’s Nonprofit Growth Package, which includes:
Email marketing
Campaign strategy
Video and graphic content
Paid social ads
Todd shared, “That campaign covered everything: visuals, messaging, delivery. It was an all-hands execution, and it worked because we had the right story, the right strategy, and the right systems.”
⏳ Now is the time for nonprofits to start planning their year-end giving. VBG is taking on a limited number of nonprofit partners for this year’s campaigns.
4. Creative Tools and Client Transparency
To elevate execution even further, the team is exploring client dashboard tools to help partners clearly see the ROI of each campaign. As Wels put it:
"Clients feel the results, but now they need to see them. Dashboards, data, visuals—we’re building tools to show what we do in real-time."
Expect more transparency tools, streamlined check-ins, and strategic insights for clients as Q3 unfolds.
5. Looking Ahead to Q3
Each team member ended the episode with personal goals for Q3:
Todd: Finalize the nonprofit campaign lineup and build internal strategy tools
Wels: Cement processes and on board their next leadership hire—CMO
Al: Launch a 30-day content sprint to boost visibility and social reach
Final Word
Whether you're planning a campaign, launching a startup, or scaling your nonprofit, Episode 10 gives a rare behind-the-scenes look at how a lean creative agency builds momentum—one quarter at a time.
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