Office Playbook: How to Choose the Right Creative Team
(and why d.o works differently)
April was intense. I had to go full focus on d.o, and that meant disappearing a bit from here.
I was on my green couch:
just scrolling on IG the other day, like we usually do, getting more and more captured by reels, I can’t believe it. It’s like cocaine. Randomly the eternal thought of recruiting entered my mind, and I thought I could write about how we do it at d.o, and give you some expensive info. Com’on don’t be lazy, this will make your Linkedin investment of going into the platform have a better result. (Don’t hire any creatives, before reading this. Joke. Maybe.)
At d.o I am not just a c.d.o in the making, I am also the one that has to deal with answering this questions. How do we build? How do we hire? How we we sustain a strong creative in house team. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, marketing director, or just trying to launch your first brand you’ve probably felt this. The pressure to move fast. The urge to hire freelancers. The temptation to outsource it all and hope someone just gets it. But here’s the thing: the right creative team can make or break your momentum. The wrong one can cost you months, budget, and brand clarity.
So, how do you choose?
#1 Plan Ahead (at least 3 months)
A creative team isn’t just there to “make content.” They’re your digital timeline managers. This phase is about forecasting, not just aesthetics.
If your team can’t do this, they’re not thinking long-term.
At d.o we usually start with a 3-month blueprint mapping out what needs to be produced, in what rhythm, and how it supports the brand narratives. (And a lot of other technical moves, back and forth’s but we got to sound fancy. Joke. Maybe)
#2 Flexibility in Structure
If you are hiring an agency, an office or a freelancer you can determine the true level they’re at by analyzing there flexibility. I am sorry to all the new comers but you will learn this the hard way, and understand that you will have your flexibility and costs formula perfected over time. (Just keep swimming)
At d.o we have digital motors that allows me as a director to work with multiple accounts each month or season. At the moment we are at 65 % capacity, but we can double that number through are hiring and recurring process in 2 weeks. The same two weeks we use to test, and get two know you. If we stumble across a new project or a big idea that will need more talent minds, we just raise our hand. Building a strong digital connection is part of what we do through native content, like the one you are reading now.
At d.o we give you the pros and cons, and we help you choose the right path based on your bandwidth or brand maturity. You can even start with a single project (hourly based), then scale into retainer service.
We offer 4 main ways to work with us:
One-time commission: You come in with a clear idea, we brief, you pay it, we deliver.
Office Retainer: Monthly service relationship, includes ideation, design, production, PR (Mexico City only) and brand management (include social media).
Quarterly retainer: A more strategic format. 90-day service and campaign rollouts. Planning + execution + reach. (Works for specific projects)
Hourly Rate: (Rates are TBD, our motto - “A team for the price of one.”) Hourly Base Fee - 25.00 USD
#3 Trial Periods Save Everyone
For creatives:
I don’t see a lot of people doing this move that can really be a game changer early on. It allows the client to see what you got, and if you truly have a good service, I feel it gives you a better chance when finlizing your finale budget. Sometime we can feel insecure about working with someone, or the pressure can rise up to quickly. Knowing that the first two weeks you are investing as well and have no pressure to deliver since you are not charging will be a game changer. The first thing to have is those 2 weeks, to give.
For directors, owners (or recruiters):
Give the new creative time, or a chance to show you what they can do. There are two options you can take. The first, is to incentivize the creative by paying him regardless. A paid test if you will. This can be a week or two. I like doing 4 weeks with new hires, or trainees. I dont want to hire anyone I haven’t gone through a 4 week cycle with. But we dont make them waste there time. We pay the test, they actually show you there talent. (Most of the time, sometimes it explodes in your face, but 8 / 10 odds are always great odds.) Four weeks might sound insane to some people, but then again, your reap what you sow.
So next time you are talking to an agency, or a freelancer, try it out. The testing phase is a great test.
At d.o before moving towards committing to a long-term office retainer, we recommend doing a 10-day pilot.
This allows us to:
Test communication rhythms
Align on expectations
Evaluate responsiveness and quality under light pressure
It’s not just about chemistry. It’s about protocol. Great work comes from shared language, trust, and systems.
# 4 Clear Onboarding Is a Green Flag
When you hire a creative team, onboarding you shouldn’t take more than a few days. I remember this was also a hard learning curve over the years. So trust me new comers you will also find peace here one day, but I feel this step isn’t to hard. I am thinking I could dive deeper into onboarding protocols we use at d.o more, and create a whole other post.
In our case, within 3–5 days, we set up:
Your brand motor on Notion
WhatsApp Group or Chat of choice
A shared delivery & calls calendar
Design templates (if it applies) & voice guide (looms) if needed.
This clarity helps you focus on growing, while we operate like your embedded design department. Hiring the right creative team isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about vision, communication, and sustainable pace.
If you’ve been thinking about building something this year let’s talk. If you want to test d.o, then click here.
See you at the office,
LUi
Cool and interesting to read d.o's breakdown. The skateboard photos made sense somehow? (Was this planned? (Jaja)). Saludos Lui!!