An Agency Story

From Brides to Backend Code - HQ

Company: HQ
Owners: Matt Sutherland
Year Started: 2012
Employees: 11-25 

What happens when a failed wedding startup leads to a thriving agency? In this episode, Matt Sutherland, co-founder of HQ, shares how an unexpected detour turned into a decade-long agency journey. You'll hear how Matt built a profitable dev shop by staying lean, saying no, and focusing on what truly mattered.

Inside this episode:

  • How a side project for wedding websites launched a full agency
  • Why growing slow and steady helped them outlast the competition
  • What to do when your biggest client suddenly disappears
  • The tough calls behind saying no to the wrong work