Rounding out a creative team with independent contractors has been a popular strategy for boutique firms trying to find a balance between adapting to a flimsy economic recovery and staffing up for projects.
Q LTD is moving beyond that practice, hiring the last of its 1099 workers to become full-time team members this fall. The digital strategy firm has been growing incrementally for years now and making this last handful of hires was the right move for its growing amount of work.
"For us it's a nice, normal pace of growth," says Christine Golus, managing director of Q LTD. Paul Koch, a creative strategist for Q LTD adds, "Our goal is controlled steady growth."
The downtown Ann Arbor-based firm has hired four people over the last year, including the two former independent contractors. It now has a staff of 14 employees and one intern.
"All of the people are working full-time," Golus says.
And working on a number of projects. Q LTD has helped human resources at the University of Michigan design a new website. It also put together conference programs from the
American Dental Association. Currently, Q LTD is working on a website redesign for
The Kresge Foundation.
"The work indicates we will need that many more people," Golus says. "It's why we are hiring them on."
Source: Christine Golus, managing director of Q LTD, and Paul Koch, a creative strategist for Q LTD
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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