Inkhouse Seattle Celebrates Its Two-Year Anniversary

Two years ago, we announced that we were opening a Seattle office. Four weeks later, the world shut down due to COVID-19. 

The good news? Despite all odds, our budding team has grown and flourished. Our success is due to our mighty leader, Kate Riley, and her team. As Inkhouse’s Pacific Northwest general manager, Kate has built a team of 12 from the ground up when the world went remote and brought on tech clients across a range of industries from fintech to real estate tech, including Seattle-based clients Remitly and Qumulo. 

I sat down with Kate to understand what makes Seattle unique, how she established team culture during Covid, and why she chose to open a new physical office space. Here’s what she said: 

What makes the Pacific Northwest special?

Kate: Seattle is now a major tech hub rivaling Boston, New York, Austin, Denver, among others. It offers everything a large cosmopolitan city has, but on a scale that is accessible and energizing. We have world-class universities, incredible natural beauty, almost every outdoor pastime you can imagine, art and music (I’m partial to Pearl Jam and Odesza), major sports teams, companies that have changed the world…the list could go on. I grew up here and won’t pretend the region hasn’t changed dramatically in my lifetime, but we haven’t lost our slightly provincial/ off-the-beaten-path mentality that makes us unique.

What brought you into PR? Tell us briefly about your experience.

Kate: I actually started out as an engineering major. I love the sciences and am good at math, but my heart wasn’t in it. I changed to a more general business degree where I could explore different career paths and gravitated to the creativity and communications aspects within the marketing track. I had no idea what a media list was when I lucked into a PR internship, but I found my footing and the rest is history!

What’s your favorite campaign/product launch/story you’ve done or shared on behalf of a client?

Kate: One of my most formative experiences was managing a 20-city bus tour promoting video game safety on behalf of Xbox. I was less than two years into my career and found myself managing almost every facet of the campaign from logistics and partner coordination to content development and local media outreach. I worked hard, learned a ton, and still feel proud of the results I delivered.

What industries are most exciting to you? Why?

Kate: I am interested in the way technology is improving logistics—both in terms of efficiency and climate impact. Logistics and supply chain management was already experiencing disruption before the pandemic, and those technologies have become even more necessary over the last two years. And as the proud new owner of an electric vehicle, I’m also excited about the future of EVs! I’m fascinated by all the facets of this transition from charging infrastructure to battery recycling. 

What did you learn from growing a team in a virtual environment during the pandemic?

Kate: We had to redefine what made us a team. For us, it was about creating a sense of identity and connection to one another. We were deliberate about hiring new team members that understood the importance of this and were willing to be a part of it. I’ve also believed throughout my career that if you take care of yourself, you’ll do a better job taking care of your people—this has been especially true over the past two years as I strove to be a calm, empathic and optimistic leader for my team.

You just signed a lease for a new physical office in Seattle. Why? 

Kate: We have the opportunity to create a workplace environment that balances community and flexibility. Many of our Seattle team members crave time in an office to connect and learn from others. We also really like each other and enjoy the camaraderie and energy that comes from working side-by-side. Our agency’s hybrid model allows us to work from home whenever we want or need to. This works well for our team members at all stages of life, including moms like me.

To learn more about Inkhouse Seattle, subscribe to our newsletter or contact our team at workwithus@inkhouse.com.