Marketing & Design Agencies in FoCo/Loveland (Denver, Colorado Springs: homes, look for a job)

[FreshAirKids]

Hello, my wife and I are looking to relocate and have fallen for FoCo. We still need to visit the area, but I'm heavy into the online research mode right now. We'd probably be looking to sell our home here in Wisconsin this spring and then head out there once we land a job.

I'm a Creative Director / Art Director at a small marketing and design agency now. I'd be happy at an agency or in-house. So I'm looking for help locating the real-deal marketing and design agencies in Fort Collins/Loveland. Or any cool local companies that have in-house marketing departments?

Also would be very happy working remotely or freelance if I can make it pay the bills. Any thoughts? Or are all the design jobs in Denver? Thanks for your help.

[db4570]

Did you try:

Graphic Design and Marketing in Fort Collins, Yo! | Toolbox Creative

[wire] stone | Digital Marketing, Social Media, Emerging Experiences

David

[FreshAirKids]

Thanks! I'll look into those.

And yes, I realize that Google can point me to many answers, but I'm looking for word-of-mouth here. Personal impressions are often stronger indicators than SEO.

[smfmovies]

...small design/marketing companies in Fort Collins and Loveland. For example, Toolbox which was mentioned in the above post. Openings are few and far between, and generally require agency experience. It seems that you have that, but some require 'local' agency experience.

There is a LinkedIn group you should join: Refresh NoCo which was actually started by one of the Toolbox owners. Openings in the agency world in Fort Collins and Loveland are usually posted here. In addition, there are monthly get-togethers. (Sadly, I have standing commitment which has made it impossible for me to attend.)

FYI--One of the larger agencies in the area is Burns Marketing (Loveland).

If you can get referrals, the local agency folks are generally willing to meet for networking purposes.

[smfmovies]

If you want to stay in the business, you may want to reconsider Fort Collins. Most of the opportunities are in Denver or Boulder. The commute to Denver from Fort Collins is 1.5 hours each way. Boulder is at least an hour. Some people commute, but that's a personal decision.

[FreshAirKids]

smfmovies, thanks! Are you in the business?

And no, I would never commute that far. I won't neglect my family just to support them, and 2–3hrs on the road every day would just cut out too much kiddo time. Ideally I would love to be able to ride my bike to work. One can dream.

So I'll keep my eyes open, start building a network and see what comes together. We're not completely locked into FC, but it's at the top of the list for sure and my wife's got a friend there. The west side of Colorado Springs (Old Colorado City) looks kinda cool too. I dunno, we need to get out there and do some exploring.

But thanks again for the info.

[dittoCO]

Hello, I have no idea if this would be a fit for you, but I immediately thought of Group Publishing. They publish a lot of Vacation Bible School curriculum, Christian books, Bible Studies, etc. I worked as a temp there a couple years ago and was blown away by the company culture. If it was a better fit for my belief system I would absolutely look for a job there. They are located on the west side of Loveland.

[smfmovies]

"smfmovies, thanks! Are you in the business?"

I am trying to get into the business. Because my marketing/pr work has been in the corporate setting, my lack of 'agency experience' is a barrier. I am currently doing some contract work, but it is sporadic. I have decided to concentrate my search on marketing/comms/project coordination work for larger companies. As my husband works in FoCo and I HATE commuting, it is a bit of a struggle.

I met with a recruiter a couple of weeks ago who told me that unless I was willing to commute to Denver or Boulder, I was not going to have much luck.

Regarding Group Publishing: they do have occasional openings in marketing. It is a religious company, so that is something to consider regarding whether the culture would be a 'fit.' It is growing quickly.

Things to keep in mind about Fort Collins:
-Due to the city's reputation as a great place to live, there is A LOT of competition for every job. (Many from outside the area.)
-Many people who work here are underemployed for that reason. (Including my husband.)
-And as a result, salaries are lower than in other parts of Colorado.

I would not advise moving to FoCo unless one of you finds a job with benefits. Good luck!

[FreshAirKids]

Good to know that it won't be easy (or maybe even not possible). And no, we definitely would not move without a decent gig lined up. We're single income with a couple little kiddos. My wife is a full-time mom and will probably be homeschooling in a couple years. As for Group Pub, sounds like it's doing well but I would not be a good fit there.

Thanks again for all your info. I'll keep looking into CO, but will try to find some backup plans too. We just really want to find comfortable weather where we can enjoy the outdoors more and the Front Range sure seems to fit the bill. (Wisconsin has harsh winters and humid buggy summers. Blech.) The culture in FoCo is a nice bonus. I think Denver is too big for our comfort level and Boulder is out of price range. Maybe a Longmont–>Boulder commute could work though.