From Underpriced to Unstoppable: How Squint Creative Achieved 95% Revenue Growth
A Belfast creative agency that went from strong reputation and inconsistent revenue to a commercially structured business with a six-figure retainer and 95% revenue growth.
About Squint Creative
Squint Creative is a Belfast-based CGI and 3D visualization studio founded in 2020 by Anthony and Elizabeth Heaney. What started as a small operation has grown into a studio delivering bold CGI, 3D animation, and AR content for brands and agencies worldwide.
Their services span photorealistic 3D visualization, augmented reality experiences, animation, and campaign content. Working with clients including Visit Belfast, Kingspan, and Primark, Squint has built a reputation for high-quality creative output that punches well above its weight.
Why They Came to Move at Pace
Anthony and Elizabeth had built something impressive before speaking to Move at Pace. But they'd hit a point where talent alone wasn't enough. They needed someone who'd been through the same growing pains to help them build the business around the craft.
Challenges
When we first connected, Squint was growing but had reached a point where the business infrastructure needed to catch up with the creative output.
Pricing Below Value
The quality of work was high but the pricing hadn't kept pace. Revenue didn't reflect the complexity or impact of what was being delivered, and margins were tighter than they needed to be.
Reputation-Led Growth
New work was coming in through reputation and relationships, which had served the business well. But without a structured pipeline or consistent follow-up process, growth was hard to predict or plan around.
Founder-Led Everything
Anthony and Elizabeth were across every part of the business. Delivery, sales, admin, marketing. There was limited delegation and not enough time carved out for the work that would actually grow the business.
The Real Problem
Squint had the creative talent and a growing reputation. The business had been built on instinct and relationships, which had taken them a long way. The opportunity wasn't to work harder. It was to build the commercial structure around the talent so the business could grow beyond what two people could carry.
Opportunities Identified
Through our discovery process, we identified three levers that could transform the business without adding complexity.
Price to Value
The work was exceptional but the pricing hadn't caught up. Repricing services and renegotiating retainer terms could transform revenue without adding a single new client.
Build the Sales Engine
Formalising the pipeline with proper tools, a consistent quoting process, and an outbound marketing strategy could turn strong reputation into predictable, repeatable growth.
Scale the Team, Free the Founders
Hiring a junior creative and implementing clear KPIs would increase delivery capacity and free Anthony and Elizabeth to focus on commercial growth.
What We Did
Scale is monthly coaching, not a one-off programme. Here's how the work evolved over 12 months as the business grew.
Pricing and Financial Foundations
Months 1-3Started with the fundamentals. Squint was undercharging for complex creative work, so we addressed pricing confidence first, then built the financial visibility needed to make smart decisions.
- Repriced services to reflect the value being delivered. Clients kept buying.
- Built a cash flow forecast to replace guesswork with clarity
- Restructured quoting to include discovery and concept work, stopping scope creep and increasing project value
- Created a hiring plan with clear financial triggers for when to pull the trigger
Hiring, Systems and Sales
Months 4-6With pricing fixed and finances visible, we focused on building the infrastructure to support growth. First hire, CRM implementation, website launch, and the beginnings of a proper sales process.
- Planned and executed first hire to increase delivery capacity
- CRM implemented with structured pipeline management
- New website built and launched, immediately opening new conversations
- Quoting and follow-up processes documented so nothing fell through the cracks
Commercial Confidence
Months 7-9With the team and systems in place, we turned to the big commercial moves. Renegotiating the key retainer, building a marketing rhythm, and planning for the year ahead with real numbers.
- Renegotiated key retainer: 50% increase secured on a six-figure contract
- Restructured overhead to improve margins and extend cash runway
- Implemented team KPIs and performance management framework
- Built daily sales and marketing habits, content strategy, and prospecting systems
Growth Planning
Months 10-12Set ambitious but realistic targets for the year ahead. Pressure-tested the numbers, identified the sales gap, and put the plan in place to close it.
- Set annual revenue target with monthly breakdown and accountability
- Developed new service lines with dedicated sales strategy
- Built a retainer pipeline strategy to reduce reliance on one-off projects
- Established daily sales routine as a non-negotiable founder habit
Results
The transformation delivered measurable results across revenue, commercial terms, and operational efficiency.
Beyond the Numbers
- Structured pipeline with CRM and clear follow-up processes in place
- First hire made and integrated with KPIs and performance management in place
- Website launched, immediately generating new conversations and credibility
- New service lines developed with dedicated go-to-market strategy
- Daily sales and marketing habit embedded as a founder routine
- Quoting process overhauled: discovery work costed, scope creep eliminated
*Results achieved over 9-month engagement. Percentage changes verified.
"Connor is genuinely brilliant. Every session helps us cut through the chaos and focus on what really matters. He's made such a positive impact on our business, not just in clarity and confidence, but in real, tangible progress. The investment has been more than worth it for the value we've gained."
What Made This Work
Price to the Value You Deliver
Squint repriced their services to reflect the real value and complexity of the work. Clients kept buying. Sometimes the biggest growth lever is the one you already have.
Systems Before Scale
A CRM, quoting process, and follow-up system turned a reactive pipeline into a predictable one. Growth stopped being accidental and started being intentional.
Negotiate From Strength
When you know your numbers and your value, you negotiate differently. A 50% retainer increase didn't come from asking. It came from proving.
The Lesson for Agency Owners
Most agencies don't have a sales problem. They have a pricing problem and a systems problem. Squint was already doing exceptional work and had a strong reputation. They needed to price to their value, build the infrastructure to support growth, and create space for the founders to focus on commercial strategy. The revenue followed.
Results shown are from real clients but are not typical. Individual results vary based on your business, experience, effort, and market conditions. We do not guarantee specific outcomes.
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