Helm Creative Studio

What Helm Creative Studio does

Helm Creative Studio is a woman-owned, integrated creative agency founded in 2015 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The firm delivers in-house creative services spanning video production, photography, campaign development, graphic design, large-scale printing and merchandising, digital marketing, audio-visual production, and live event support, with all work executed without subcontracting. Its client base spans impact-driven nonprofits, performing arts organizations, entertainment venues, sports collectibles companies, commercial real estate developers, education institutions, and hospitality brands across the United States and internationally, with documented project execution in Scotland and Israel.

The company's core operating asset is The Story Factory, a city-block sized production facility established in 2022 at 1600 N. 5th Street in Philadelphia. The facility provides physical production space, secure storage, a private loading dock, and meeting rooms for client-driven assembly of merchandise, swag, and event materials. In 2026 the facility received designation as a Qualified Production Facility (QPF) from the Pennsylvania State Film Office, making it eligible for up to a 30% tax credit on qualified production spending and creating a discrete structural advantage in attracting film, television, and video production engagements beyond Helm's traditional agency-of-record work.

Commercially, Helm operates on a project-based, quote-driven revenue model with no publicly disclosed pricing. Work is sourced through direct relationship-based sales targeting enterprise and mid-market clients, with founder-led PR, an awards-heavy portfolio (Telly, MUSE, Stevie, VEGA, Hermes, MarCom, AVA, Communitas), and case-study content serving as primary demand-generation channels. The firm is privately held by founders Ashlee and Elijah Hollis with no disclosed institutional investors and operates with approximately 10 in-house creatives. Helm also commits a portion of every project's revenue to youth and creative community initiatives, surpassing $1 million in cumulative donations and in-kind services through its first decade of operation.

Name

Helm Creative Studio

Legal name

Helm Creative Studio

Website

https://helmcreativestudio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Helm Creative Studio is a woman-owned Philadelphia-based creative agency delivering in-house video, photography, campaign, print, and event services for nonprofits, arts institutions, entertainment venues, and enterprise clients. Its Story Factory facility is a Pennsylvania State Film Office Qualified Production Facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative agency services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Sound Recording Industries (5122)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Creative agency services
• Video production services
• Campaign development marketing
• Commercial printing services
• Event production support

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Project-based creative services including campaign development, videography, photography, graphic design, web design, digital marketing, audio-visual production, event support, and print/merchandising. Services are custom and quoted per project.
2. Print and Merchandise Production: Large-scale printing services and merchandise production for events, venues, and brands. Includes online and on-site boutique management for clients like Philadelphia Ballet, with capabilities spanning merchandise design, sourcing, printing, and fulfillment.
3. Production Facility Rental and Services: Rental of production space, storage facilities, and meeting rooms at The Story Factory. Production companies and filmmakers can access the qualified facility for tax-credit-eligible productions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Helm Creative Studio is a woman-owned creative agency that delivers integrated, in-house creative services for organizations and brands. Its core work spans campaign development, video production, photography, graphic design, large-scale print and merchandise, digital marketing, event support, audio-visual production, and boutique merchandise management, executed out of its Philadelphia-based production facility, The Story Factory.

Product overview

Helm Creative Studio is a woman-owned, award-winning marketing and creative agency offering a comprehensive suite of in-house creative services. The company operates from its Philadelphia headquarters and its proprietary production facility, The Story Factory, which is a Pennsylvania State Film Office-approved Qualified Production Facility. The core offering consists of integrated creative services including videography, photography, campaign development, graphic design, print and merchandising, digital marketing, event support, and boutique management. All services are delivered in-house by the company's creative crew, with The Story Factory serving as both a production facility and storage space for client materials. The studio differentiates itself through its impact-driven approach, dedicating portions of project revenue to youth and creative community initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Story Factory: A city-block sized production facility and qualified production facility by the Pennsylvania State Film Office, serving as a home for Helm Creative Studio and a creative space for Philadelphia communities and filmmakers. Offers up to 30% tax credit for qualified spending by production companies and filmmakers.

Products and services

• Helm Creative Studio Creative Agency Services A woman-owned creative agency offering integrated campaign development, video, photography, graphic design, print, digital marketing, audio-visual, and event support for organizations and brands.
• The Story Factory Production Facility A city-block sized, Philadelphia-based production facility operated by Helm Creative Studio that offers production space, secure storage, private loading dock, and meeting rooms. Recognized by the Pennsylvania State Film Office as a Qualified Production Facility, enabling up to 30% tax credits for qualified spending by production companies and filmmakers.
• Boutique Management Services Full-service merchandise boutique creation and management including on-site purchasing at performances, online store development, inventory management, sourcing, designing, printing, and shipping from The Story Factory.

Quantifiable outcome

• $1 million in donations and in-kind services to youth, communities, and emerging creatives over 10 years (2015-2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Muhtayzik-Tooffer: Independent creative agency producing video, brand, and content for enterprise and cultural clients. Comparable in independent, award-driven positioning and integrated creative production model.
• Mother Design: Independent design and creative agency with brand identity, campaign, and content capabilities. Comparable in independent ownership, integrated in-house model, and storytelling-driven work.
• Neff: Philadelphia-based full-service creative agency with integrated video, digital, social, and media capabilities. Similar mid-market positioning and breadth of services to Helm.
• mono: Minneapolis-based independent creative agency with integrated brand, content, and digital capabilities for mid-market and enterprise clients. Comparable in independent ownership and integrated service breadth.
• Red Antler: Brooklyn-based independent brand and creative agency known for integrated launch campaigns, video, and storytelling for consumer brands. Comparable in size, scope, and storytelling-driven approach.
• Mekanism: Independent full-service creative agency producing integrated campaigns, video, and branded content for enterprise clients. Comparable in integrated service model and award-winning positioning.
• Brownstein Group: Independent Philadelphia creative agency providing brand, advertising, PR, and digital services. Comparable in scale, integrated service model, and Philadelphia headquarters.
• Allen & Gerritsen: Philadelphia-based independent creative and media agency offering integrated brand, content, and digital services to enterprise and nonprofit clients. Closest direct geographic and service-line peer to Helm in the Philly market.

Broad incumbents

• The Mill: Larger global production company specializing in film, VFX, and content production for brands. Comparable in production-facility economics and enterprise video production services, though at significantly greater scale.
• GALE: Larger independent full-service agency with brand, creative, media, and data capabilities. Broader scope than Helm, but directly comparable in the integrated full-service creative category.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/helmcreativestudio
• TikToktiktok.com/@helmcreativestudio
• Xx.com/helmcreative
• Facebookfacebook.com/helmcreativestudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helm-creative-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Helm Creative Studio