Pricing below value
Quality of work was high but pricing hadn't kept pace. Revenue didn't reflect the complexity or impact of what was being delivered. Margins tighter than they needed to be.
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Squint Creative: from underpriced to a six-figure retainer.
A Belfast creative studio that went from strong reputation and inconsistent revenue to a commercially structured business with a six-figure retainer and 95% revenue growth in 9 months.
+95% Revenue growth
+50% Retainer increase
9 Months
About the client
Squint Creative
Squint Creative is a Belfast-based CGI and 3D visualisation 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 visualisation, augmented reality, 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.
Notable clients
Visit BelfastKingspanPrimark
Why they came to Move at Pace
Anthony and Elizabeth had built something real 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.
The situation
Where things were stuck.
Reputation-led growth
New work came in through reputation and relationships, which had served them well. But without a structured pipeline or consistent follow-up, 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. Limited delegation, not enough time for the work that actually grows 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 commercial structure around the talent so the business could grow beyond what two people could carry.
The insight
Where the value was waiting.
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.
The work
What we did, phase by phase.
Months 1-3 Pricing and financial foundations
Start 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
Months 4-6 Hiring, systems and sales
With pricing fixed and finances visible, focus on building the infrastructure to support growth. First hire, CRM implementation, website launch, 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
Months 7-9 Commercial confidence
With team and systems in place, turn 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
The outcome
What changed, measured.
Beyond the numbers
- Structured pipeline with CRM and clear follow-up processes in place
- First hire made and integrated with KPIs and performance management
- 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 the 9 months 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."
Key takeaways
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
Most agencies don't have a sales problem. They have a pricing problem and a systems problem. Squint was already doing exceptional work with 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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