Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Leff and Alia Samhat.
Scott and Alia, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Scott: I got my start at McKinsey & Company with the McKinsey Quarterly, one of the leading business publications. I left McKinsey in 2007 to join Chicago’s Olympic bid, where I worked on printed materials, live presentations, and other marketing collateral. After the bid, I went out on my own and eventually partnered with Heather Ploog, a colleague from the Quarterly in 2012. Since then, the company has grown to 10 employees, and we specialize in narrative storytelling, graphic design and data visualization, and video production. Our clientele consists of B2B companies, including professional services firms, as well as higher education and public sector organizations.
Alia: After living in Ukraine as a Peace Corp Volunteer for two years, I moved back to the US and headed to New York to work in publishing, which had been my goal in college. I worked in both editorial and marketing, learning the ins and outs of digital publishing and the different ways writers, designers, and marketers could use digital media to share their message. After a couple years on the East coast, I moved to Chicago and began working at a digital marketing agency, the first of two I worked with before coming to Leff. I led strategy and campaign management across several industries—health care, finance, insurance, retail, and auto brands. I enthusiastically came to Leff after a handful of years in the agency world.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Scott: One challenge is that as a growing small business, we’re often having to solve a lot of problems for the first time–be it hiring people, expanding your client base, or putting all of the business systems and processes in place. We’ve been pretty fortunate: the company has grown rapidly, we have extremely talented and dedicated people working with us, and we work for a wide range of clients. We are in the client service business, and that means not only helping teams complete projects on tight deadlines but also acting as a thought partner with them.
Alia: We’re a rapidly growing company, and keeping up with that growth—quickly and effectively introducing new processes, managing a flow of projects, and balancing client work and internal initiatives—can sometimes present a challenge, but never an obstacle.
It’s one we’re excited to take on, and it’s a testament of our team’s great work. Being involved in that is part of what makes working for this company really great.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Leff – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Scott: On the most basic level, we help our clients–typically executives and experts–distill their insights for a business audience. The output of this process can be written formats such as articles and reports; infographics and online interactives; or video, from live action to motion graphics. We have become known for the quality of our work, creative problem solving, and an ability to deliver against even the tightest deadlines.
One of our distinctive traits is that we actually do what we say we’re going to do.
I’m most proud of creating an environment where smart, creative people can do their best work. For instance, we have a turntable in the office with more than 400 records, so that keeps things light at even the most stressful times.
We work really hard, but we also have a good time together.
Alia: We’re a content marketing company made up of a talented team of writers, editors, designers, video producers, and marketers. We work with B2B companies and collaborate to turn ideas into assets—compelling content that brings ideas, data, and stories to life. We believe that a well-formulated strategy is the first step in doing what we do, and we work closely with our clients to consult on the best ways to make their ideas accessible in a variety of formats and channels. What really sets us apart is that we also create quality content that we, and our clients, can be proud of. It’s not content for content’s sake; it’s a piece you want to read, view, watch, and share.
Most important to our success is the talent and drive our team has, and the working environment at Leff. Scott and Heather have assembled a crew of gifted people who share a deep-rooted belief in quality, hard work, client service, and respect for what we do and for each other. On top of that, everyone is really fun, and we genuinely enjoy each other. That type of atmosphere, along with the knowledge that we’re here to do our best work—and we are supported in that mission—has been key to our success. Great tunes on the turntable don’t hurt, either.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Scott: We just moved into a new office with a lot more space, so our immediate plans are to continue to grow. I’d like to double in size over the next two to three years. Our goal is to continue working on interesting projects and expanding our services.
Clients are continually looking for new ways to tell their story and engage potential clients, so the more visual and immersive the better. For instance, our designers recently started working with a platform that allows them to create online interactives without a web developer.
Contact Info:
- Address: 223 W. Jackson Suite 510
- Website: www.leffcommunications.com
- Phone: 3126357862
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