In the June-August 2026 issue of NZ Marketing magazine, we asked agency founders to tell us the story behind why they started their agency, their favourite thing, what they’ve learned and their best advice.
Walsh & Beck
- Founder: Paula Hellyer
- Year founded: 2008
Tell us the story behind founding your agency.
Walsh & Beck was founded after I returned home to Dunedin after five years in Auckland working for Jasmax. The agency was heavily influenced by my time there, and I wanted to create an agency that had good people, a strong design culture and created beautiful things. Walsh and Beck were the maiden names of my grandmothers, who worked together and were great friends.
The company was founded after my first child was born and a year before my twin daughters. Our first office was in a beautiful historic building overlooking Queens Garden, but the team grew and we needed more space, eventually developing our own studio in the basement of a former felt hat company. We’re now a team of eight and have added video and photography to our repertoire of services.
What’s your favourite thing about running your own agency?
The people we work with, and for. We have a small, dedicated team of talented people all working hard to produce the best results for our clients. I love seeing their work out in the wild, and the impact it has on the organisation we work for.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned?
Honesty builds trust, and trust builds a strong agency. Quality, care and attention to detail is what sets an agency apart, especially in a competitive market. Setting clear expectations from the beginning and maintaining high levels of communication throughout a project builds lasting client relationships.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received or given out?
A director I worked with used to say that you always needed to give the client something to say ‘no’ to.
I still use that one today.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 87, June-August 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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