| By Aundréa Cika Heschmeyer, President & CEO When you run a business—especially a small, community-rooted one—you don’t often stop to reflect. You’re moving, planning, responding, juggling, dreaming, managing, and delivering… sometimes all in the same hour. So when VoyageOhio reached out for an interview about my journey and the evolution of our firm, I did something I rarely do: I paused. I sat with their questions long enough to think about the real answers—not the polished soundbites, not the brand language, but the truth beneath the work. It forced me to be introspective in a way I haven’t made time for in years. And what rose to the surface surprised me. It reminded me just how far we’ve come, what we’ve pushed through, what we’ve built, and most importantly…why we built it. Here are the highlights: Why return to Youngstown? The easy answer is “family.” The deeper answer is that coming home became the chance to reclaim something: the opportunity to use my hard-earned skills in a place whose complexities I understood and whose potential I believed in. What started as freelance writing in my basement became a consultancy, then an agency, and now—nearly 20 years later—a team of passionate creatives shaping the stories of nonprofits, cultural organizations, government partners, female founders, small business owners, and community movements throughout Ohio. That evolution didn’t happen because it was easy. It happened because it mattered. What were the challenges? I laughed—because where do you begin? Building a business in an economically fragile city means you are constantly explaining who you are, why you’re different, and why your work isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Being a woman founder, navigating seasonal revenue cycles, bidding for government work, advocating for mission-driven clients, raising a family, caring for an aging parent…none of it came with a blueprint. And yet, every challenge made us more Strategic. Selective. Steadfast. Sharper. This year especially, as we’ve invested in building infrastructure, refining pricing, growing our team, strengthening our certification portfolio, and expanding our client mix, I’ve realized something important: MARQUEE didn’t grow in spite of hard seasons. It grew because of them. How have your clients shaped MARQUEE? I have a deep gratitude for the people and organizations that have trusted MARQUEE. Our clients don’t just hire us for design, strategy, or events. They let us into their world. They hand us their mission, their fears, their hopes, and their hardest truths. They trust us to help rebuild and reimagine, support and strengthen, navigating it all with clarity, vision, and heart. And that trust isn’t just an honor; it’s the responsibility that defines the MARQUEE way. What makes your team special? I am deeply grateful for the people who stand with me. MARQUEE is not a one-woman show; it is a one-mission team built from the incredible talent of 13 (and growing) affiliated staff members—each bringing decades of expertise to the table.. This team cares about their craft, their clients, and their community. They step up with solutions, they mentor each other, and they bring passion to every project that crosses our desk. We didn’t just build a creative agency—we built a creative family with a shared purpose. What’s in the future? We’re building for team growth, mentorship, and cross-collaboration. Personally, I share my desire to teach, mentor, and maybe even write about what I’ve learned along the way. But today, as I write this, my thoughts settle here: I am grateful. Grateful for the clients who believed in us. Grateful for the team who grows with us. Grateful for the city that shaped us. Grateful for the challenges that refined us. Grateful for the work that still lies ahead. Thank you for being part of the MARQUEE story. On Thanksgiving, I will toast to reflection, resilience, and the road forward. |