Switchback Creative
Switchback Creative is a founder-owned boutique digital agency in Airdrie, Alberta, founded in 2014, that delivers custom branding, website design and development, graphic design, and advertising services to small businesses, non-profits, and professional services firms across Alberta and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAirdrie, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Switchback Creative does
Switchback Creative Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned boutique digital agency founded in 2014 by Suzy Rounce (Creative Director) and Trevor Rounce (Full Stack Developer) and headquartered in Airdrie, Alberta. The firm offers four core services: branding (visual identity, logo, color/typography systems, brand guidelines), custom website design and development, logo and graphic design, and advertising. Website projects are custom-coded in a React/Astro.js frontend with a decoupled WordPress CMS backend, hosted on private servers with Git-managed source files, and the firm explicitly avoids templates. Projects are quoted individually after a discovery conversation, with custom websites starting at $5,000 and typical timelines of 10-12 weeks. Branding projects are sold as one-time engagements, and the firm also offers subscription-based ongoing website support plans covering hosting, security, and maintenance.
The company operates primarily across Alberta (Airdrie, Calgary, Cochrane, Canmore, Banff, Edmonton) and serves clients throughout Canada via online collaboration, reaching 355 clients since inception and launching 180 websites and 125 brands. The go-to-market motion is sales-led through website inquiry forms and discovery calls, complemented by community-driven demand generation: speaking engagements, workshops (ATB Business, SMARTStart, Marketing Compass), community sponsorships, and the Trailblazer Fund, an annual $10,000 pro bono creative services program for non-profits that has donated approximately $90,000 since 2015. A separate education sub-brand, Raising a Business, packages a podcast (45+ episodes), digital courses, keynote speaking, and the Marketing Compass Workshop (4-part, 10-hour series priced at $799 introductory / $1,200 standard). The customer base skews to small businesses, non-profits, tourism operators, and professional services firms in the Alberta market, with the firm structured as a 1-10 employee operation relying on co-owners and a contractor network rather than a full-time production team.
Switchback Creative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Switchback Creative
- Legal name
- Switchback Creative Inc.
- Website
- https://switchbackcreative.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Switchback Creative is a founder-owned boutique digital agency in Airdrie, Alberta, founded in 2014, that delivers custom branding, website design and development, graphic design, and advertising services to small businesses, non-profits, and professional services firms across Alberta and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Switchback Creative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Branding and Web Design Agency
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (54143)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX) (MPAAAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Rebrand & Brand Refresh Programs (MPAAAEAJ)
Keywords
Where Switchback Creative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Airdrie
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Switchback Creative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Website Design & Development: Custom website design and development services. Projects are quoted individually based on complexity, features, functionality, and content needs. Most websites take 10-12 weeks from start to finish.
- Branding Services: Brand development packages including strategy, visual identity, logo development, color and typography systems, and brand guidelines documents. Expanded packages include brand playbooks with personality, tone, key messaging, and marketing materials.
- Education & Workshops: Marketing Compass Workshop series - 4-part in-person workshop (10 hours total) covering marketing strategy and storytelling. Speaking engagements for keynote presentations. Digital courses for DIY marketing learning.
- Graphic Design & Advertising: Logo design, graphic design, advertising strategy and execution, copywriting, photography coordination, and brand guidance services.
- Ongoing Support Plans: Website maintenance and support plans to keep sites updated, secure, and performing well. Training provided for client teams on content management.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Custom Website Development |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Switchback Creative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Switchback Creative is a boutique digital creative agency that designs and develops custom brand systems, websites, logos, and advertising built around a storytelling methodology. Every website is hand-coded (no templates) using a React-based Astro.js frontend with a decoupled WordPress CMS backend. The firm also runs an education arm (Raising a Business podcast, Marketing Compass Workshop, digital courses, keynote speaking) and an annual Trailblazer pro-bono program for non-profits.
Product overview
Switchback Creative is a boutique digital agency offering a unified portfolio of creative services centered on brand storytelling. The core offerings include Branding (visual identity, strategy, and brand guidelines), Website Design + Development (custom React/Astro.js frontend with WordPress CMS backend), Logo + Graphic Design, and Advertising. The company extends its services with an education division featuring the Raising a Business Podcast, Marketing Compass Workshop (4-part in-person series), Digital DIY courses, and Keynote Speaking by Suzy Rounce. Additionally, the Trailblazer Fund provides $10,000 in pro bono creative services to one non-profit annually, and ongoing website maintenance plans are offered for existing clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Raising a Business: Education arm of Switchback Creative to help businesses raise their organization to new heights. Comprised of a podcast, online courses, speaking and workshops.
- Trailblazer
- Marketing Compass Workshop
Products and services
- Branding Story-based brand development service covering brand strategy, visual identity, logo development, color and typography systems, and comprehensive brand guidelines documentation. Designed for small businesses, entrepreneurs, non-profits, and professional service firms.
- Website Design + Development Custom web design and development service using a React-based Astro.js frontend with a decoupled WordPress CMS backend. Fully responsive, SEO-ready, mobile-friendly sites are built from scratch (no templates) and typically take 10-12 weeks from start to finish. Projects typically start at $5,000.
- Logo + Graphic Design Logo design and graphic design services that support brand messaging and communications, including custom logos, marketing collateral, and visual identity elements.
- Advertising Advertising strategy and campaign development focused on connecting customer challenges with business solutions across online, offline, and community channels, including ad creative, copywriting, and campaign execution.
- Marketing Compass Workshop A 4-part in-person workshop series spanning 4 weeks (10 hours total) focused on marketing strategy and storytelling. Guides participants through creating actionable marketing messages and campaigns; available to small business owners and entrepreneurs.
- Raising a Business Podcast A podcast focused on business growth, marketing, pivoting, and lessons learned; the flagship educational content product of the Raising a Business education arm.
- Digital Courses Self-paced online DIY marketing courses covering topics such as marketing, branding, and customer growth for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
- Keynote Speaking Four customizable one-hour signature keynote presentations delivered by Suzy Rounce on marketing and storytelling topics, available with or without Q&A.
- Website Ongoing Support Recurring website maintenance and support plans covering hosting setup, security updates, troubleshooting, performance optimization, and content management training for client teams.
Companies that use Switchback Creative
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Switchback Creative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Switchback Creative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.
- Board Leadership CalgaryminorWorkshop presenter for 2025 program.
- Boys and Girls ClubmajorBoard member since 2021.
- ATB BusinessmajorWorkshop presenter since 2020. Provides marketing and business development workshops to ATB Business clients.
- Friends of STARSminorPlatinum Sponsor for Experience Alberta Raffle in 2020.
- SMARTstart / Airdrie Entrepreneur CommoncoreSponsor and presenter at sessions since 2016. Involved in developing the program which now sells as program-in-a-box to other municipalities. Helped develop brand for Airdrie Entrepreneur Common including name, logo, and key messaging.
- TEDxCanmoreminorBoard member and sponsor since 2016.
- Airdrie AngelcoreMarketing partner since second year of business (2015). Switchback Creative provides pro-bono marketing work to help grow the program. Airdrie Angel has helped 134 families and gifted/raised over $250,000 for Airdrie families.
- Airdrie Chamber of CommercecoreMarketing panelist and brand keynote presenter (2019). Marketing Chair and Gold Sponsor for Airdrie Business Awards (2015-2018). Active member and supporter of local business community.
- Light Up the NightminorMarketing sponsor from 2015 to 2017.
- City of Airdrie Economic DevelopmentcoreHalf-day interactive workshop presenter. Involved in developing city programs including Airdrie Winter Games, Airdrie's Economic Strategy 2018-2028 vision report, Right for your Business Program, visitor tourism book, and more.
- ArtemberminorPast marketing partner and volunteer since 2014.
- Airdrie Health Foundationcore2025 Trailblazer winner receiving $10,000 in pro bono creative services. Charity raises funds for Airdrie Community Health Centre, Urgent Care, Mental Health and other healthcare needs.
- Airdrie Public LibrarycoreTrailblazer recipient - comprehensive branding project to guide library through new downtown development project.
- Association for the Rehabilitation of Brain Injured (ARBI)minorTrailblazer program recipient.
- Nose Creek Valley MuseumminorTrailblazer program recipient.
- Airdrie Children's FestivalminorTrailblazer program recipient.
- Sour Dog TheatreminorTrailblazer program recipient.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Switchback Creative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Thinkingbox: Vancouver-based creative agency producing brand work, websites, and digital experiences for a similar mid-market mix — directly comparable on custom brand and digital production scope.
- Major Tom: Toronto-headquartered, multi-city Canadian digital marketing agency offering custom website design and development, branding, and digital marketing — closely overlapping Switchback Creative's core services to small/mid-market Canadian clients.
- WSI: Canadian-founded global digital marketing network of local agencies offering web design, branding, and marketing services to SMBs — comparable target customer and service mix even though delivered through a franchise model.
- Bold Commerce: Winnipeg-born, Canadian-built digital agency/platform combining development and creative services for commerce and brand clients — a comparable Canadian scale-up rooted in custom build work.
Broad incumbents
- Sid Lee: Montreal-founded creative agency offering branding, digital experience design, and content — comparable craft focus and storytelling-led positioning but at much larger scale and predominantly enterprise clients.
- DDB Canada: Canadian arm of global advertising network DDB, offering brand strategy, creative, and digital services across Canada — a broad incumbent whose creative and digital offerings overlap with Switchback's full-service agency model.
- Critical Mass: Calgary-headquartered global digital experience agency covering design, web, branding, and marketing — overlapping service lines but operating at significantly larger enterprise scale, making it a broad incumbent for Switchback's SMB niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Switchback Creative social profiles
Digital presenceSwitchback Creative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Switchback Creative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Switchback Creative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Switchback Creative 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 Switchback Creative
What does Switchback Creative do?
Switchback Creative is a boutique digital creative agency that designs and develops custom brand systems, websites, logos, and advertising built around a storytelling methodology. Every website is hand-coded (no templates) using a React-based Astro.js frontend with a decoupled WordPress CMS backend. The firm also runs an education arm (Raising a Business podcast, Marketing Compass Workshop, digital courses, keynote speaking) and an annual Trailblazer pro-bono program for non-profits.
Is Switchback Creative a public or private company?
Switchback Creative is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Switchback Creative founded?
Switchback Creative was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Switchback Creative based?
Switchback Creative is headquartered in Airdrie, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Switchback Creative make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Website Design & Development is the primary driver. The others are branding Services, education & Workshops, graphic Design & Advertising and ongoing Support Plans.
Who are Switchback Creative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Thinkingbox, Major Tom, WSI and Bold Commerce. Broad incumbents are Sid Lee, DDB Canada and Critical Mass.
Does Switchback Creative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Switchback Creative.
What industry is Switchback Creative in?
Switchback Creative's product category is Branding and Web Design Agency. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAAAD, Digital Creative & Experience Design Agencies (Web/App/UX), with a secondary code of MPAAAEAJ, Rebrand & Brand Refresh Programs. Its NAICS code is 54143 and its SIC code is 7311.