Independent agency Heard has found a place in this year’s BRW Fast Starters list. The list highlights the top 100 ambitious Australian SMEs with rapid growth, who are venturing into unchartered markets.

With only a small handful of creative agencies making the list, it’s another accomplishment for the agency. Currently with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, Heard will be opening a third office in LA by the end of the year, with offices in London and Dubai to follow.

The agency’s clientele continues to grow, with global clients GE and FAL Healthy Beverages leading the way. The founders, Paul Heard and Darragh Hodgson, both hail from strong advertising and marketing backgrounds. Not underestimating the challenges their former employers faced in running an agency, their experience combined with their personal drive naturally evolved into a desire to give it a go for themselves.

Paul Heard, MD, says: “From a financial, HR and client services perspective, the first couple of years were an extremely steep and tough learning curb. But we are extremely grateful as those years paved the foundations for us to confidently develop into a truly effective creative agency.

In conjunction with strong creative capabilities – Heard develops advertising campaigns that work! In a service orientated industry we ensure that everything is always outcome focused. Our case studies of success have helped us to grow the agency one campaign and client at a time, as well as uphold a high retention rate.”

WiTH Collective, OpenTop, The Performance Factory, Connect Events, GMG Digital and Cummins&Partners also made the list in the media and marketing category.