#4
The Company We Keep
I've received several questions about our history, so I thought I'd share what got us here—and why it matters for understanding the second type of “company” that forms around authentic organizations.
I will also note that I am making a concerted effort to introduce the em dash into my writing. It’s been an interesting journey with AI induced grammatical patterns and this particular one has been quite educational.
For the “real” writers out there, I am happy to take criticism on my implementation.
A great podcast on the subject can be found at:
https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/658-the-em-dash/
Our Journey
One vulnerability I will share—hoping this does not become a pattern—is that we have never felt we belonged.
Not to architecture or interior design. Not with graphic designers or product designers. Not with real estate developers. Not to the advertising world. Not really with activists. And we never belonged to a company that already knew the "right way" to build brands.
We came out of professions that shape how people move through space—where they pause—what draws them closer or keeps them distant. We understood how people move through the world, but we knew nothing about brand strategy.
We didn't adopt someone else's methodology because we didn't know there were methodologies to adopt. We moved by instinct, testing each assumption against reality rather than against industry consensus.
The Intentional Wordplay
The decision to call ourselves Cause+Affect was deliberate. Not "Cause and Effect"—mechanical, action and reaction. "Cause and Affect"—human, action with emotional impact.
In those early days:
Cause = Strategy
Affect = Design
We wanted an agency valued as much for strategic thinking as aesthetic prowess.
The Unexpected Evolution
We began insisting on working on strategy first, and something unexpected started happening. We began attracting organizations that wanted to disrupt industries, serve underserved communities, create systemic change, build more sustainable ways of doing business.
By 2010, without any conscious decision to rebrand, Cause+Affect had evolved into something we hadn't originally planned: a brand agency that specialized in helping organizations make a positive difference in the world.
Cause = Purpose: Your reason for being
Affect = Impact: The change you want to make in the world
What We Were Slow to Understand
What has taken us years to realize is that people chose to work with us even though they couldn't easily categorize what we did.
We were hard to pin down. Architecture background but not architects. Design training but not a design firm. Strategic thinking but not management consultants. Our methodology was still forming. Our approach was quite unconventional.
People didn't always know what they were going to get from us, but they understood our purpose:
To help those working to create a better future, do better.
And that was enough to start the conversation.
The Pattern We Finally Recognized
One day I received a call.
"I am really not sure what you do. And I am really not sure what I need. But I think we need to talk."
This became a pattern. People would reach out without fully understanding our services. They couldn't describe what we did, but they understood what we were trying to achieve.
They resonated with the purpose. The "how" could come later—and often, they'd help us figure it out.
These people weren't Champions. They didn't fall in love with our values. They were drawn to our clarity of purpose.
They were Allies.
The Distinction That Changed Everything
Champions are drawn to your behaviour and how that reflects your values. Allies, on the other hand, are drawn to Purpose. They understand what you're trying to achieve and want to support that outcome. They're the backbone of every successful organization.
They outnumber Champions 20-1, and they're often more sustainable because their support is built on strategic alignment rather than emotional connection.
What Allies Actually Need
Allies need purpose first. Why are we getting up in the morning? Where are we going? What are we trying to achieve? Who are we helping? What difference are we trying to make in the world?
Then they need the how. How will we get there? How will we measure success? What's my role?
But here's what we learned: Allies don't need you to have all the answers about the how. They need you to be clear about the why. Then they'll help you build the how.
That caller who said "I'm not really sure what you do, but I think we need to talk" became one of our most reliable clients for a decade. She understood our purpose. Then she worked with us to figure out how to apply it to her specific challenges.
Why This Matters
Our multi-disciplinary, hard-to-categorize structure should have been a weakness—there has certainly been no shortage of that opinion around— but it didn't matter because our purpose was clear.
Allies could work with that. They didn't need to understand architecture or design or brand. They needed to know we were genuinely committed to helping organizations with meaningful missions succeed.
The methodology could evolve as long as the purpose remained consistent, Allies could trust us.
The Balance You Need
The strongest organizations and businesses cultivate both Champions and Allies.
Champions provide energy and advocacy—embodying your values—defending your culture, they're passionate but rare.
Allies provide structure and sustainability—they're practical and plentiful—and if they understand what you're trying to achieve, they will help you get there systematically.
Both matter. But they need different things from you.
We spent years trying to turn Allies into Champions. It was exhausting for us and frustrating for them, but once we understood the distinction, everything changed.
The Core Truth
Allies outnumber Champions—forming the backbone of successful organizations—because their support is based on strategic alignment rather than emotional connection.
Honour their practical approach by being crystal clear about your purpose, then involving them in figuring out how to achieve it together.
Next Week, I’ll introduce the third type of “company” that forms around authentic organizations: Skeptics. These are the people who want to believe you but need proof first. They can be a challenge, but you will be all the better for it.
Until then, audit your relationships:
- Who loves what you stand for? (Champions - rare but vital)
- Who trusts what you're working toward? (Allies - your backbone)
Are you giving each what they actually need?
—Steven