Creative Team Growth

Scaling Teams by Building the Scaffolding

From a three-person creative team to a high-performing department of 11 through strategic business development and team building.

Business Development \\ Capacity Planning \\ Talent Strategy

Colleague Recommendation

“Lindsey is a creative leader who genuinely elevates the people around her.”

Abner Nieves, Full Stack Software Engineer, Former Direct Report

Overview

The Center of Excellence for Learning Resources and Communication (LRC) is a remote team of creatives housed within TriMetrix. As our team grew from 3 to 11, I built out design infrastructure to scale output, capture new revenue, and increase services to our current clients—all while fostering a high-performing, tight-knit creative culture that to date has supported nearly 2,000 internal and client projects.

Duration

3 years

Role

Content and Design Manager

Business Development

I supported our Director in diversifying our client base by filling creative gaps in proposals, capturing new revenue. As a lead writer, I documented the creative strategies necessary to achieve complex client goals through integrated design, marketing, and accessibility project plans. Every creative commitment was grounded in operational reality from the start. I developed resource forecasts and project timelines, securing seven recurring or firm-fixed-price contracts. My work as a lead writer for these responses required a meticulous focus on documenting the assumptions and creative strategies necessary to align our team’s output with complex client requirements. 

 

As a go-to partner once a contract was established, I built executive trust through transparent leadership and acted as the bridge between client goals and design execution. I kept these relationships strong by leading efficient, effective, and recurring client check-ins. Regular communication allowed me to identify and resolve red flags to keep the project within budget and scope. This strategic oversight ensured the delivery of polished, mission-aligned solutions and maintained a 100% on-time delivery rate, solidifying our reputation for reliability and high-quality design production.

266%

Team Expansion

266% increase in our team's creative staff to meet demands of a growing client base

8

Financial Growth

8 recurring or firm-fixed-price contracts secured through strategic proposal writing

39%

Proposal Conversion

39% win rate achieved on high-stakes competitive proposals

Capacity Planning

As the LRC client base grew, I had the foresight to create tools that would ensure consistent creative output from the design team. I leverage deep workflow knowledge to plan project trajectories and pivot resources, maintaining momentum through potential roadblocks. My emphasis on accountability spans the small details—like file naming—to executive-level coordination, where I synchronize timelines through proactive client check-ins. By fostering clear communication, I ensure projects remain mission-aligned and expectations are managed with professional clarity.

 

Recognizing when the designers were nearing a capacity tipping point, I built a custom forecasting tool using Pivot Tables to visualize workload months in advance. This allowed me to proactively manage an 120% overbooked team without sacrificing quality or staff well-being. Complemented by SOPs and documented close-out processes, these efficiencies have been vital in maintaining a 100% on-time delivery rate across creative projects. Ultimately, this strategic resource planning protects both the bottom line and team morale in a high-volume environment.

100%

Reliability

100% on-time delivery maintained across 1,200+ design requests

120%

Capacity Optimization

120% staff workload during peak surges, managed by using custom forecasting tools

0

Strategic Intervention

Zero deadlines missed thanks to direct design support during critical surges

Talent Strategy

My leadership philosophy fosters a culture of continuous learning and experimentation that empowers my team to do their best work. I prioritize creating a supportive environment where designers adapt to rapid industry changes, whether by exploring new software or tackling high-stakes internal projects. By removing technical and procedural barriers, I enable the designers to focus on creative solutions while providing the behind-the-scenes strategic feedback necessary to elevate their ideas. This servant leadership approach ensures that the designers don’t just complete tasks but actively grow their skillsets and take ownership of their client relationships.

 

Beyond day-to-day management, I focus on the long-term talent lifecycle of the designers by building intentional professional development opportunities and curating team morale. Having personally hired each member of my design team (2 designers, 1 copy editor), I’ve maintained a three-year average retention rate—a significant accomplishment in a high-turnover field. I facilitate this growth through triannual professional development conversations, aligning individual goals with broader business goals to guide designers into senior roles. This commitment to clear expectations and open communication—including requesting designers’ feedback on our internal processes—has resulted in a high-performing culture of accountability and mutual respect.

3

Talent Retention

3 years, average length of content and design staff retention

3

Design Mentorship

3 designers coached into senior design positions

3

Skills Development

3 conversations per year per team member to align personnel and business goals