Open Book
Open Book Communications is a Minneapolis-based branding and communications consultancy that helps nonprofit, faith-based, and educational organizations articulate their story through brand strategy, messaging, design, video, and campaign execution on a project basis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Open Book does
Open Book Communications is a Minneapolis-based branding and communications consultancy founded in 2013 by Sharon Sampson. The firm works at the intersection of strategic consulting and creative production, offering brand strategy, messaging development, content creation, visual identity, website design and development, video production, print and storybook materials, and event strategy. Engagements are delivered on a project basis, governed by separate written proposals or statements of work, with deposits required to initiate work, invoices due within 30 days, and a 1.5% monthly late fee on overdue balances.
The firm is privately held as Open Book Communications LLC, with no external institutional funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries. The team consists of approximately 12 in-house professionals spanning strategists, writers, designers, motion/video producers, and a web developer, supported by a cross-functional model that integrates strategy and creative execution under one roof. Client acquisition is primarily referral-driven and relationship-led, supplemented by a content-led website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Vimeo, and Facebook presence, and the 'Driven by More' thought leadership series.
Open Book's client base is concentrated in nonprofit, faith-based, and educational organizations—including churches, Christian study centers, universities, and teen-services nonprofits—with selected engagements in private-sector verticals such as investment management (Riverbridge) and hospitality (Vivo). Documented outcomes include capital campaign work that helped Redeemer Presbyterian raise $32.5M, an $80M New York Project fundraising result, and an $8M campaign for Grace Commons. The firm has no proprietary technology, software platform, or API; its assets are human talent, process, and a portfolio of case studies.
Open Book firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open Book
- Legal name
- Open Book Communications LLC
- Website
- https://teamopenbook.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Open Book Communications is a Minneapolis-based branding and communications consultancy that helps nonprofit, faith-based, and educational organizations articulate their story through brand strategy, messaging, design, video, and campaign execution on a project basis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Open Book is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Open Book business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Services — Brand Strategy and Consulting: Open Book generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements. Client engagements are governed by separate written proposals or agreements. Services include brand strategy, messaging development, communications consulting, content creation, and creative direction. Fees are set forth in applicable proposals or invoices, with invoices due within 30 days of issue, deposits required to initiate work, and late fees of 1.5% per month on outstanding balances.
- Creative Production Services: Deliverables include websites, video production, print materials, storybooks, visual identity systems, event strategy, and campaign materials. These are custom engagements priced per project with scope defined in statements of work or proposals. All fees are quoted in U.S. dollars.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services with custom pricing per engagement |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels8 records
Open Book product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open Book Communications is a branding and communications consultancy that helps organizations articulate their story through strategic consulting and creative production. Deliverables include brand strategy, messaging development, visual identity, website design and development, video production, print materials, storybooks, presentation design, creative campaigns, and event strategy, delivered as project-based engagements defined by proposals or statements of work.
Product overview
Open Book Communications is a branding and communications firm offering strategic consulting and creative services. Their service portfolio includes Brand Strategy, Creative Campaigns, Design Services, Messaging Development, Presentation Design, Print Materials, Storybooks, Video Production, Website Design and Development, and Event Strategy and Execution. The company operates across multiple project types including capital campaigns, organizational rebranding, website development, video production, and event strategy, serving clients nationwide in sectors including faith-based organizations, educational institutions, nonprofits, and businesses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brand Strategy
- Creative Campaigns
- Visual Identity and Design Services
- Messaging Development
- Presentation Design
- Print Materials and Storybooks
- Video Production
- Website Design and Development
- Event Strategy and Execution
Quantifiable outcome
- Redeemer Presbyterian Church raised $32.5 million in just over 5 months through the Rise campaign — more than double any previous Redeemer capital campaign in its 25-year history.
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Open Book
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Open Book technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Open Book partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Open Book competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Big Duck: Branding and communications firm specializing in nonprofit organizations — same customer base (nonprofits, foundations, advocacy groups) and similar integrated strategy + creative production model. Both are small, founder-influenced shops focused on mission-driven storytelling.
- Mission Minded: Branding agency exclusively serving nonprofits, foundations, and advocacy organizations. Comparable in size, positioning (strategic partner rather than vendor), and emphasis on aligning narrative with mission.
- Burness: Communications and strategic consulting firm serving nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropies. Comparable mid-size services firm combining strategic messaging, brand work, and campaign execution for mission-driven clients.
- Hattaway Communications: Strategic communications firm focused on nonprofits, foundations, and purpose-driven companies. Overlapping service mix (brand strategy, messaging, campaign development) and similar clientele in the social-impact space.
- Grafik: Boutique branding and design agency serving mission-driven organizations, associations, and education clients. Comparable size, integrated strategy-plus-execution model, and similar vertical focus.
Broad incumbents
- Pentagram: Larger, established multidisciplinary design consultancy offering brand strategy, visual identity, and creative execution. Overlaps on integrated design + strategy but operates at a meaningfully larger scale and serves commercial as well as mission-driven clients.
- Landor & Fitch: Global brand consulting and design firm with a dedicated practice for nonprofits, foundations, and social-impact clients. Overlaps with Open Book's brand strategy and identity work but offers broader scale, research capabilities, and global reach.
- The Richards Group: Independent brand-building and advertising agency combining strategy, creative, and content production. Comparable integrated model but substantially larger and serving a broader commercial client mix.
Regional players
- Carmichael Lynch: Minneapolis-based creative advertising agency offering brand strategy, creative campaigns, and production. Comparable regional presence and integrated creative-services model, though much larger and more consumer- vs. mission-driven in focus.
- Periscope: Minneapolis-headquartered creative agency providing brand strategy, design, and campaign execution. Operates in the same metro market as Open Book with overlapping services for clients seeking integrated brand and creative work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Open Book social profiles
Digital presenceOpen Book financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open Book leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Open Book funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open Book M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Open Book
What does Open Book do?
Open Book Communications is a branding and communications consultancy that helps organizations articulate their story through strategic consulting and creative production. Deliverables include brand strategy, messaging development, visual identity, website design and development, video production, print materials, storybooks, presentation design, creative campaigns, and event strategy, delivered as project-based engagements defined by proposals or statements of work.
Is Open Book a public or private company?
Open Book is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Open Book founded?
Open Book was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Open Book based?
Open Book is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Open Book make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Services — Brand Strategy and Consulting is the primary driver. The others are creative Production Services.
Who are Open Book's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Big Duck, Mission Minded, Burness, Hattaway Communications and Grafik. Broad incumbents are Pentagram, Landor & Fitch and The Richards Group. Regional players are Carmichael Lynch and Periscope.
Does Open Book have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open Book.