Interview: Exploring business, culture and leadership with Ashleigh Hansberger and Sunny Bonnell
As part of our commitment to elevate creative voices we are speaking to members to our community. We will be celebrating their work and sharing their story because we think it’s important to champion the people that make our sector so damn good! In this edition we are joined by the co–founders of Motto®, Ashleigh Hansberger and Sunny Bonnell.
Motto ©
Hello Sunny & Ashleigh. It’s great to speak. To start can you tell us what it was that made you both step into the world of design?
In 2005, with only $250, we launched Motto® as two young women in our twenties, stepping into a male-dominated industry. Our goal was not just to disrupt the space as bold, opinionated thinkers but also to redefine what leadership could look like.
We began winning awards and collaborating with global teams like Virgin, Google, and more, eventually earning us a six-figure book deal and the opportunity to work with some incredible clients.
What’s a common trap agencies fall into that you’ve intentionally avoided?
Growth no matter the price. It’s tempting to chase rapid expansion and take on every project. But we’ve chosen greatness over growth, prioritizing a culture of creativity and innovation over burnout and chaos.
You started your agency with only $250 and grew it to a multi-million dollar agency. In retrospect, what was the best decision you made when it came to achieving success with Motto?
Bootstrapping was our best decision. While not suitable for everyone, it enabled us to retain full authority over our vision. Accepting external funding might accelerate growth, but it also means more stakeholders influencing your decisions. Each path has its merits; the choice depends on what aligns with your goals.
Ashleigh Hansberger ©
One of the things Motto is famous for is “Ideas Worth Rallying Around®.” We’re all familiar with big brands like Apple, Nike, etc., and their rallying cries. What is an Idea Worth Rallying Around®, and how does a company use this strategy?
Motto® is founded on a simple principle: The world’s greatest companies are more than famous names and coveted products — they’re ideas. Ideas that started in the heads and hearts of a few fiercely ambitious people and ended up touching millions of people’s lives.
Our brand motto Ideas Worth Rallying Around® is rooted in the belief that every brand should have a signature idea at the center of the business that is powerful enough to rally everyone from customers to employees to investors.
We've earned our reputation as the "Big Idea Company" by transforming brands and businesses into big ideas. Our approach not only galvanizes support for your brand but also sharpens your organization’s differentiation in the marketplace.
In today’s environment, brands wield tremendous power. If you have a big idea, it can drive your innovation, culture, and vision to extraordinary heights. It should guide all your actions and decisions. When your core idea is clear, it becomes a rallying call making it easier for others to understand your vision and join forces with you.
Free pitching has no place in our industry. It sets a precedent that ideas — our most valuable currency —should be given away for free.
Do you have an example of an IWRA® that you identified for a company and had an incredible impact?
Motto, our ethos revolves around not just having ideas, but having big ideas — ideas that challenge, disrupt, and lead industries forward. We inspire both our team and clients to embrace this bold vision by fostering an environment where creativity and audacity are at the forefront of everything we do.
We have to think beyond traditional boundaries and explore uncharted territories in branding. We are always encouraging the power of not just about being different; but how to be distinctly better.
Andela is a global marketplace that connects forward-thinking companies with brilliant remote tech talent in emerging markets. After securing investment from the likes of Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Spark Capital, and Google Ventures, Andela pursued global expansion and an open marketplace, necessitating a rebrand led by Motto®.
Andela’s big Idea Worth Rallying Around®, “Connecting Brilliance with Opportunity,” is rooted in Andela’s conviction that brilliance is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Motto’s strategic brand thinking at the leadership level enabled Andela to actualize its vision of global change.
This big idea has catalyzed Andela’s remarkable achievements, including a $200M Series E led by Softbank, a $1.5B unicorn valuation, expansion into 110+ companies and 6 continents, and several strategic acquisitions. This is the transformative power of an Idea Worth Rallying Around®
Motto ©
Motto proudly talks about how diverse it is. Was this a conscious decision when building the business or something that’s evolved as you’ve grown?
We’re among the 1% of agencies owned by women, so diversity is in our DNA. From day one, we set out to build a team as diverse as the world around us. Not just as a moral imperative but as a creative advantage. Different perspectives fuel better ideas, challenge assumptions, and lead to more innovative outcomes. Our team speaks 8 languages. Our leadership team is 80% women.
Studio culture is important to Motto. How have you created an environment that embraces and encourages creativity?
We believe every company has two true competitive advantages: its brand and its culture. Brand sets the tone for how the world perceives you, and culture guides how you show up daily to support that idea. True creativity disrupts; it doesn't settle. When building teams, leaders need to prioritize diversity not just in demographics but in thought, experience, and approach.
It’s essential to employ a hiring process that values different worldviews and backgrounds, which enriches your team's creativity and problem-solving ability. During interviews, emphasize scenarios that reveal candidates' thinking processes and adaptability to new situations. It's also beneficial to create mixed teams where diverse skill sets and perspectives can join forces to spark innovation.
Growth no matter the price. It’s tempting to chase rapid expansion and take on every project. But we’ve chosen greatness over growth, prioritizing a culture of creativity and innovation over burnout and chaos.
As studio founders, your team is the lifeblood of the agency. What have you learnt about getting the best from people in a competitive and agile industry?
We’ve learned that people give their best when they feel seen, heard, and valued. At Motto®, we focus on empowering our team to own their brilliance while giving them the clarity to align their work with a larger vision. It’s about balance — setting high standards while giving people the freedom to fail.
When building teams, leaders should prioritize diversity not just in demographics but in thought, experience, and approach. By encouraging a culture where team members can suggest changes and innovations that align with the company's goals, leaders can ensure that the organization remains agile and can pivot as opportunities or challenges arise. The future belongs to those who can dream with eyes wide open and adapt without hesitation.
What’s the most surprising thing about the way Motto operates that people wouldn’t expect from an agency?
For over a decade, we focused on leadership alignment and culture-building, which built the foundation for our approach. After publishing a bestselling book, we expanded our expertise to encompass leadership, culture, and brand building. Today, we specialize in transformative brand work, where culture and innovation are the driving forces behind the brand.
Our unique expertise and background sets us apart from traditional branding agencies. While many emphasize design and aesthetics, we see brand and internal culture as inseparable. Many agencies start with some strategy, but the design is the lion’s share of that work; for us, it’s the final phase of a much deeper process.
We believe a company’s internal dynamics — how teams lead, communicate, and collaborate — directly shape how the brand is perceived externally. That’s why we begin every project with a focus on leadership alignment and cultural clarity, considering them as essential as design and strategy.
Our process is built around creating a unifying idea, a rallying cry that not only inspires internal teams but also deeply resonates with customers. This ensures the vision isn’t just aspirational — it’s actionable.
Sunny Bonnell ©
Is there one issue that you think the design industry should be working harder to improve?
Free pitching has no place in our industry. It sets a precedent that ideas — our most valuable currency — should be given away for free. Yet, many companies evaluating agencies through RFPs continue to expect it as part of the process.
The problem isn’t just with those asking, it’s with those agreeing. Unless we, as an industry, collectively say no to these speculative exercises, this practice will persist.
Finally. What’s next for you?
We’re just wrapping up our next book, Little Book of Big Ideas. Little Book of Big Ideas is a compact powerhouse of innovation and inspiration, combining the stories of legendary visionaries with interactive challenges that transform readers into creators. If you’re interested in signing up for early-release updates, check out our website.
Fore more about Motto visit: wearemotto.com
Follow us
