A decade in, a fresh Start: B2B consultancy marks growth with new brand identity

B2B marketing and communications consultancy Start has unveiled a new brand and website, marking 10 years in business. The new brand drops ‘Communication’ from its trading name to reflect a remit that now extends from marketing strategy to fractional leadership.

Founded by Rachel Chesters in 2016, Start Communication has grown from a solo business to an experienced core team leading a trusted network of specialist freelancers, independents and partner agencies.

The name change and refreshed brand identity reflects how the consultancy’s work and relationships have developed over the last decade. Clients now draw on Start for brand positioning, comms, campaign execution and business development, alongside fractional and interim marketing services.

Start assembles teams of curated creatives around each client brief, bringing in specialist expertise and working alongside clients’ own in-house marketing teams and agency partners. The success of the model reflects a changing approach to marketing in the industry, with clients increasingly looking for flexible, accountable access to the right expertise at the right time..

Chesters, Start’s Founder and Managing Director, said: “When I started the business, I was working as a freelance copywriter and campaign manager. I didn’t have grand plans to build a consultancy or to be an agency leader. But the business grew organically through relationships built over time. Coupled with a post-pandemic attitude-shift to a more flexible way of working with creatives, we found ourselves growing and that led to the model we operate at Start today. Small, handpicked specialist teams, for every client and project.

“Reaching 10 years felt like the right time to stop and revisit our own brand and give it the attention we usually reserve for our clients. We’re delighted to have made it to ten, clearer than ever on who we are, what we offer and what we stand for. We’re boutique for a reason – staying agile enough to be close to our clients, offering tactical delivery alongside access to senior consultants.”

Start’s unique, collaborative approach is reflected in how they work with Manchester Metropolitan University, where the consultancy has supported with B2B marketing and partnerships strategy, as well as storytelling and content creation.

Kelly Griffin, Head Of B2B marketing at the University, said: “It’s invaluable to us having access to an experienced team that really understands B2B marketing. Start quickly gets to grips with the kinds of complex subject matter we’re often working with in our business services division. The team has a real talent for finding a story that resonates with our audiences. Plus, Start is responsive and easy to work with and the flexibility of their freelance partner model works well for us.”

Start’s model is also built on a commitment to supporting the freelance and independent creative community, giving specialists the opportunity to work as part of a team and contribute their expertise to meaningful client projects. Start extends its values of flexible working, fair pay and the principles of the GM Good Employment Charter to that wider network.