Five Years in Reflection

Banner that says "Cheers to Five Years of Branding for the Built Environment" with photos of Nimble. Studio

Five years. It’s funny how the feeling of five years varies greatly based on point of view. To my seven year old, five years is more than his lifetime of memories. As a 26 year old weighing the risk of following my heart to pursue entrepreneurship and give up the former five years of rising the corporate ranks and overcommitting to everything to become something, five years was my self-granted window. I would give myself five years to test out entrepreneurship, relinquishing my safety net and hard-earned three figure salary to prove myself, to myself.

By CEO and Creative Director, Candice Riley Campbell

I envisioned in five years time, I would be partnering selectively with kindred clients who believed in the power of brand and place. I dreamed of being more, to few; balancing motherhood with projects and clients that dared to inspire. Combining my childhood dreams and formal education in Interior Design with my career track in branding and marketing to craft environments rooted in story and spatial pull (ps. that language should sound familiar – our vision remains strong and unchanged).

Never could I have imagined that in five years, I’d have the team and support system that we have today. The opportunity to travel constantly and witness the impact of design on communities, the opportunity to commit, try, and mold accordingly. The opportunity to give my full self daily – mind, heart and craft – to companies and colleagues willing to take the chance.

Nimble.’s first [shared] studio in Historic Roswell; ca. 2014 - 2016

Nimble.’s co-working days (this was our second studio, first was legit an 8’ x 10’ fishbowl); ca. 2016 - 2017 — Nimble.’s co-working days *(this was our second studio, first was legit an 8’ x 10’ fishbowl);* ca. 2016 - 2017

Five years in and we are a mighty team of six, and growing. We have crafted brands for over 200 projects, travelled in surplus of 100,000 miles (honestly, I’ve lost track), and logged well over our share of design hours to continually shape and refine the intersection of where brand meets place.

Every single project has given me perspective, and guidance to continually finesse.

Every single client has given me the confidence that our methodology is necessary.

Entrepreneurship has been incredibly challenging – a daily roller coaster of doubt, accountability, risk, choice, pride and pursuit (commonly in randomized order). You want stories? Let’s real-talk over coffee some time. As we get larger, these hills grow and the weight of the climb feels, well more. But thankfully so does the high.

Financially speaking, 2019 has been our best year yet. It has given us the surplus to take greater risk, invest in our team and our brand and give back in meaningful ways to organizations doing great things in our community. It has also given me the refuel to just keep going.

Five years from now, we will be wiser, no doubt.
But five years from now, we will be equally as kind and guiding.
We will allow ourselves the pause to listen first, then process.
We will approach every project with the same excitement as our very first.
We will continuously pursue a deepened practice of our craft.
We will give ourselves the grace to learn, teach and repeat.
We will remain nimble and steadfast in everything that we do.

The design planning of Nimble.’s first studio home; ca. 2017

Proudly overseeing construction; ca. 2017

My son Landon, affectionally referred to as our Chief Nimbler., will remember his childhood growing up in the Nimble. studio, the guaranteed comic relief at the end of a long week and a fierce promoter of the Nimble. brand. The ability to share Nimble. with him is 1000% worth the hard moments.

Our team will remember the humble reality of small business – the roller coaster highs and the teachable lessons learned. That work ethic, shared values and undeterred passion, are not competencies measured on a dashboard, but priceless measures in which we hold each other accountable to bring our best selves daily.

I will remember our first five years as a much needed foundation to where we grow next. To a momentous closed chapter of firsts and a novel of nexts, we thank you for the continued support.

Proudly,

Candice Riley Campbell
Founder, CEO and Creative Director

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