The way we think an agency should work.
Most agencies optimize for billable hours, gatekept files and work that can't grow without them.
We believe there is a different way.
It started the way most agencies do, with one person and too many ideas.
Our founder Noel is the kind of person who keeps the box. If the packaging is considered enough. The weight of the card, the way it opens, the tissue paper inside, it earns a place on the shelf instead of the recycling bin.
That obsession is what eventually made freelancing feel too small. So he started building a team around the same idea: that brands deserve to be built properly, all the way through, by people who actually care whether the box gets kept.
The honest version of the early days.
Growing from a freelance operation into a full agency meant figuring out almost everything as we went. Here's what that actually looked like.
What came out of all of that wasn't a polished playbook. It was a set of principles we earned and now refuse to compromise on. We call it the Alister Code.
Building the right team
How to hire the right people. How to fire the not-so-right ones. How to build a team that could deliver across more services without losing the quality clients came for in the first place.
Systems that kept breaking
There were systems we built and rebuilt. Ways of working that made sense at one size and completely broke at the next. The growth came faster than the infrastructure more than once.
Figuring out who we are
Quick decisions about what kind of agency we actually wanted to be. What work to take, what to say no to, and what we refused to compromise on even when it would have been easier to.
Who's Alister anyways?
Before marketing became a dashboard, design was a trade. Sign painters, print shops, typographers setting type by hand. People designed stuff because it needed to be, they made things meant to be seen, touched, and kept. A lot of that work is still out there, still collected, still admired. Not because it was trendy, but because it was made with real intention.
That's who we want to be. An agency that makes things worth keeping. Work that holds up long after we're done. The name is an ode to that, to doing the craft properly and making things that last.
Why we're built differently
Most of our team has worked both in-house and in agencies, so we understand both sides. What frustrated us wasn't the creative. It was the dynamic.
Agencies treated projects like transactions. A website you couldn't edit without calling them. A brand deck that sat in a folder. Work that served one purpose and couldn't grow with you.We built the opposite. Clients own their assets, understand the strategy behind every decision, and never feel kept in the dark to protect someone's billable hours.
We'd rather build something so solid that your team gradually grows into it and takes the wheel. If you eventually hire people to run what we built, that's not a loss. That's the whole point.
What we actually care about
There's a version of this where we talk about ROI and data-driven creative. That's only a part of the picture.
We started this because we wanted to make good work with people we respect, or as Noel would say, "make cool sh*t with for good people." Our clients become collaborators. We integrate with your team and build from there, because you know your business better than we ever will.
We give a lot away for free. Not the work but the access. A text about a marketing problem, a gut-check on whether something looks right. No clock running, no ego about it and we approach every brand with the same question: how do we make your customers actually love this?
Six things we won't compromise on.
01
You always know what's coming and what's needed next.
Every client gets full visibility into where their project stands. No chasing us for updates. You can see what's in progress, what's up next, and what we need from you all in one place, anytime you want.
02
You own your assets. We never lock you out of your own brand.
Every file, every login, every piece of work we create is yours. If we part ways tomorrow, you walk away with everything. We don't hold brands hostage to keep clients around.
03
Respect for each other and the craft goes both ways.
We treat our clients like partners, not tasks. In return, we expect the same respect for our team and our process. The best work comes from mutual trust, not power dynamics.
04
Good design is always backed by strategy and user experience.
Something can look incredible and still fail completely. We don't design to impress other designers. Every creative decision is grounded in why it exists and who it's for.
05
Creative freedom matters. We do our best work when we have room to think.
Micromanaging creative work makes it worse, not safer. We ask for trust upfront because the results are always better when we have space to explore before we refine.
06
We adapt to the tools that work best for you. Our standards don't change, our methods do.
We're not rigid about platforms, software, or workflows. If your team runs on something specific, we'll meet you there. What stays consistent is the quality of the output, not how we get there.
Good people wanted.
We're not a big agency with a rigid chain of command. We move quick and each have our expertise.
We look for people who are curious, self-driven, and genuinely excited about the craft. People who want to own their work and push it further than what was asked for. If that's you, we want to hear from you.
Social Content Creator
We’re looking for a Montreal-based content creator who knows their way around a smartphone camera and can shoot and edit social-first videos that feel native to Instagram and TikTok.
Video Editor
As a Video Editor at Alister, you will play a vital role in bringing our clients' ideas to life through captivating visual storytelling. Working closely with our creative team, you will transform raw footage into polished videos that engage and captivate audiences. If you are a skilled video editor with a passion for creativity and a drive to create compelling videos, join our team and help us create something amazing together!
