Insights: building a sustainable creative business – no blood, tears, or unicorns

why studio playground is a zebra, not a unicorn

I attended an advertising industry award ceremony this year. When one of the agency owners picked up their award, they said, “You all know how it is – through blood and tears, but we get there and do the great work.”

I was kind of shocked that someone still feels “this is the way” in 2024. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m building my business in Sweden, where balance is more than just a buzzword, or if it’s because I simply value my life outside work too much, but I couldn’t relate to this mindset at all. My mind was screaming ‘that’s not the way to lead forward!’

I started my business, a brand consultancy and publisher, studio playground, with a wish to create a studio where no one feels like this:

or this:

From Agency Probs account, here

And like many businesses, I began it with a mix of entrepreneurial curiosity, a sense that there was a gap in the market, and my personal desire to challenge and find honest, fresh ways of working within the creative industries.

Importantly, with no blood, no tears, no unicorns, and no empire-building exercises.

Instead, it’s an experiment in running a well-structured, fun-to-be-at-and-work-with company – a manifesto for a different way of working in creative industries.

A consultancy that doesn’t upsell unnecessary work for the sake of awards, fame, or fabricated reports. Rather, we put the focus on quality over quantity, with community and high-quality creative work at the centre of what we do.

Studio Playground is my and my team’s playground (hence, the name). It’s also an experiment in doing creative business differently, both by putting our manifesto in print (Playground Magazine) out into the world and by building a community of creatives who want to lead with similar values, and working with clients who want honest, good-quality, well-thought-out creative work.

Which makes us a zebra startup!

Zebra, what?

The first time I heard the term “zebra” to describe a company was maybe six months ago, well into the process of building my business. But it immediately resonated with me.

So, what is a zebra business? You’ve probably heard of unicorns – a term used in venture capital (VC) to describe a startup valued at over $1 billion. Zebras are the opposite.

Zebra startups are built to be sustainable and socially responsible. They often prioritise profitability and positive social impact over rapid growth. Their key characteristics include balanced growth, community-centric approaches, and transparency.

In contrast to unicorns, this illustration captures it well:

taken from here

It’s not about perfection or another ‘cult’ of business success. Instead, it’s a circular view of growth rather than a linear one. This path isn’t necessarily easier. Like many entrepreneurs, I have days where I’m swamped with tasks and my mind runs into the night.

But if I’m going to start a business, I want to do it differently. I want to be part of that ‘zebra’ game, a less-explored path. It might feel lonely, but I know I’m not alone.

Many, especially female founders, are challenging the status quo. I love seeing the

Broken Growth

conversations by Matilda Lucy, as well as everything Sari Azout, the founder of

Sublime

is talking about. Just to name a few!

While researching this piece, I came across an article titled “Zebras Fix What Unicorns Break” It’s an ambitious goal, but I like a good challenge. Having people alongside us on this journey – through brand collaborations, readers like you, or our magazine community – means the world.

So, if you are ever curious to explore the path less travelled, I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes:

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.” – E. F. Schumacher

And here are some books on my reading shelf that inspired me to set up studio playground this way:

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There are many ways to support & engage with us! You can buy and read our award-winning, globally distributed (first time hyping it this much!) manifesto for creative industries Playground Magazine. If you’re a brand or client, let's work together. I also offer an entry call for smaller entrepreneurs, solo founders, and freelancers – a 60-minute one-on-one brand consultation with me. [Read more here.]

Until the next one,

Auste