Company: Upswept Creative
Guests: Sarah Giffrow
Year Started: 2011
Employees: 1-10
Do you have to niche to run a successful agency? For many, the answer is a smart choice. But for Sarah Giffrow, founder of Upswept Creative, intentionally staying un-niched has created space for deeper purpose, creative flexibility, and mission-aligned client work (she’s more in a niche than you might think) In the latest episode of An Agency Story, we explore how choosing purpose as positioning can be a strategic move.
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Episode Summary
This episode features Sarah Giffrow, a multidisciplinary creative and founder of Upswept Creative, a Portland-based digital agency. With a background in web development, design, and social justice work, Sarah has built an agency that serves nonprofits and service-based businesses. We talk about the challenges of running a values-driven agency, different variations of specialization, and the reality of managing your own brand while running a business.
Inside the episode:
- Discussing different ways to niche your agency
- The hardest part of marketing your own agency
- What it means to center purpose in your business strategy
Key Takeaways and Lessons
Purpose can be your positioning
Sarah explains how working with mission-aligned clients, whether nonprofits or service businesses, has been more fulfilling than pursuing a narrow industry focus. This intentional approach has allowed Upswept Creative to solve diverse challenges while staying true to its values.
Marketing your own agency is harder than it looks
Even as a marketing expert, Sarah admits it’s a struggle to prioritize her agency’s brand. The reasons? Limited time, creative blind spots, and the urge to serve clients first. She shares how quarterly planning and accountability practices have helped shift that.
Platform changes are forcing agencies to think smarter
With uncertainty around platforms like TikTok and Meta, Sarah highlights the importance of building portable marketing strategies. She encourages clients to audit platforms before abandoning them, and always look for ways to carry their audience with them.
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