They Made it Happen: Dixon Schwabl is #1
2008 Best Small Company to Work for in America

Electricity, enthusiasm, and unlimited energy seem to pour out of the people at Dixon Schwabl, a marketing and advertising firm that has taken this year’s top position as the Best Small Company to Work for in America. This 70+ employee company based in Victor, New York moved into the top spot on the 2008 list through a combination of inspiring employee testimonials about the high level of trust they experience on a daily basis, and evidence of the strong, unique culture that has been created at Dixon Schwabl.

Engaging people in the culture of Dixon Schwabl begins even before people start working there. Using their “We Make It Happen” motto as a guide, DS recruiters sift through hundreds of resumes to find the right people to join the agency. And it’s an eclectic group of people that have ended up being successful there. Current employees include a former professor, a producer for a TV news program, a bank executive, a shoe salesman, a bartender, a jazz radio DJ, and a television photojournalist. Potential employees are interviewed by many team members during the hiring process, and final candidates are also interviewed by CEO Lauren Dixon.

DS has a strong internship program, and many entry-level employees who are “graduates” of the DS program are hired by the agency upon completion of their internship. In 2007, the agency had a record twenty-two summer interns, and in total has helped over 300 people explore opportunities in advertising and marketing through their intern program.

Employees at DS are encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions using a variety of mechanisms. The creative and production teams hold daily meetings to review assignments, ensuring that team members have the opportunity to "speak up" if they have any questions with workload or the specifics of an assignment.

In addition to these daily meetings, DS holds an agency-wide weekly meeting lasting approximately 20 minutes to share all happenings at DS. The meetings are held during the week at 8:30 a.m. , ensuring employees a time to share recent work, announcements and any concerns. New employees are often introduced at these meetings and new account wins are also shared at this time. In addition, these meetings allow employees and management to share news that is disappointing or negative so that the entire agency is aware of a situation. The open forum helps to insure that employees concerns are heard and responded to quickly.

DS has also developed a reputation for having a fun workplace, even going so far as to add a line item labeled “FUN” in their budget to insure that adequate funds are always available for each employee and the agency as a whole to have fun during the year. JAZ teams comprised of groups of 5-8 employees are responsible for creating fun and meaningful monthly events for the entire agency. In 2007, the JAZ team held a pumpkin-decorating contest for Halloween, and showed a Halloween video created by the DS studio featuring employees getting a scare on the agency's ground floor. Other events include the formation of a rock/jazz band, with all employees being invited to join in.

As a creative agency, it seems appropriate that Dixon Schwabl took a very creative approach to the design of their new corporate headquarters building. When DS decided to move to new offices in 2002, the company started the entire design process by calling an agency meeting to ask employees to help create an office with the "WOW" factor - an aesthetically pleasing environment reflecting the openness and creativity that is valued by the agency. There is an air hockey table for any mid-day impromptu "tournaments" to cure cases of writer's block, and a metal slide from the second floor that ends right in the heart of the main lobby. Clients often "take a spin" on the slide following meetings with most of them landing on their feet! In 2004, the agency added a bell to the interior wall near the front door so clients could ring the bell if they received great service that day. It is uplifting for the agency to hear the bell ring throughout the day as clients come and go from meetings.

There is a koi pond in front of the agency with a relaxing waterfall, plus all of the windows in the agency can be opened, allowing fresh air to circulate throughout the building. Seasonal celebrations elevate DS's creativity to an even higher level, with elaborate and funky decorations dotting the landscape. Every Halloween DS has pumpkins sprinkled across the office exterior to get into the spirit, and large, furry fake spiders and skeletons in the restrooms. The winter holiday season decorations include large ornaments and displays featuring works by local artists.

And finally, Dixon Schwabl brings both its creative juices and its commitment to people to its community involvement programs. In 2007, DS started "Make It Happen Day," giving employees a paid day off to volunteer with any not-for-profit organization they wish. . DS employees donate more than 7500 hours annually to area not-for-profits, and employees are encouraged to share their charitable endeavors with the agency at agency meetings. One employee created a charitable project to help displaced residents of New Orleans, and another employee encouraged employees to support a diabetes fundraiser. DS also filmed a documentary about a unique theatre group called “Theatre for Actors with Special Needs.”  This documentary called There’s No Such Word as Can’t followed a group of individuals with developmental disabilities as they rehearsed for a production of Grease. DS’s Producer Shad Froman and President Mike Schwabl shot and edited more than 100 hours of footage over a period of five months, and produced the documentary as a pro bono assignment. The agency hosted a “red carpet” premiere for the actors at an area movie theatre, complete with DSA employees posing as paparazzi and also real media coverage.

It's no wonder at all that Dixon Schwabl is at the top of the list as the Best Small Company to Work For in America!