In this exclusive CanadianSME Small Business Magazine interview, Alyson reflects on her journey leading Monogram—a pioneering, women-led virtual agency acclaimed for redefining how teams collaborate and serve clients nationwide. Her career spans nearly two decades and a spectrum of industries, infusing the agency with seasoned expertise in communication, creative strategy, and engagement. By championing remote work and forging connections across communities of all sizes, Alyson and her team have built a culture rooted in trust, authenticity, and innovation, elevating the visibility and impact of organizations well beyond Canada’s urban centers.
Alyson brings 19 years of experience to the team, with in-depth experience in the corporate, sports, and post-secondary education sectors regionally, provincially, and nationally. She specializes in brand and web design, crisis and issues management, stakeholder relations, and major engagement projects.
Monogram has earned a reputation for award-winning communications, particularly as a women-centric, online agency. What inspired you to create a firm focused on making work truly work for women, and how has this shaped your approach to client service and team culture?
At Monogram, our remote structure isn’t just a logistical choice—it’s a strategic one. From day one, we’ve believed that a strong culture doesn’t depend on four walls; it depends on trust, connection, and shared purpose. Our team of 18 works coast-to-coast, but we’ve built practices that make distance feel invisible.
We prioritize intentional communication—clear expectations, regular check-ins, and open channels where ideas and feedback flow freely. Weekly team meetings ground us in shared goals, while smaller working sessions encourage collaboration and creative problem-solving. Importantly, we balance efficiency with humanity. We celebrate wins, acknowledge challenges, and create space for the “water-cooler” conversations that keep relationships strong.
Flexibility is another cornerstone. We trust our team to design work around their lives, not the other way around. That trust fuels accountability—people show up fully when they feel respected and supported.
Finally, we invest in connection beyond the task list. Retreats, virtual celebrations, and mentorship opportunities remind us we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. These strategies aren’t just culture-building—they’re culture-sustaining. They allow us to serve clients with the same authenticity and care we extend to each other, no matter where we log in from.
Your team operates remotely yet maintains a strong corporate culture. What strategies or practices have you found most effective in fostering collaboration, trust, and engagement among your virtual team members?
At Monogram, we’ve proven that culture isn’t tied to an office—it’s built on trust, connection, and shared purpose. With a team of 18 working coast-to-coast, we focus on intentional communication: clear expectations, regular check-ins, and space for both collaboration and casual conversation. Weekly meetings keep us aligned, while smaller working groups foster creativity and problem-solving.
Flexibility is key. Our team is trusted to design work around their lives, which builds accountability and ensures people show up fully. We celebrate wins, acknowledge challenges, and make time for human connection—whether through virtual coffee chats, team celebrations, or in-person retreats.
These practices don’t just sustain our culture; they strengthen it. By creating an environment where people feel seen and supported, we deliver the same authenticity, care, and bold creativity to our clients that we extend to each other—no matter where we log in from.
Monogram has received accolades such as the CPRS Small PR Agency of the Year. Can you share what these awards mean for your clients and your team, and how recognition has influenced your agency’s growth?
Winning the CPRS Small PR Agency of the Year was a milestone that meant more than a trophy on a shelf—it was validation of the way we’ve chosen to build Monogram. For our team, it affirmed that a women-led, fully remote agency from outside the “big city” hubs can compete at the highest level and deliver truly national impact. It boosted confidence, reinforced that our bold, trust-first approach works, and reminded each person on our team that their contributions matter.
For clients, the recognition is equally meaningful. Awards reassure them that they’re partnering with an agency whose work is benchmarked against the best in the industry. It signals not only creativity and results, but also credibility and professionalism.
These accolades have begun to fuel growth. They’ve opened doors to new opportunities, strengthened relationships with existing clients, and helped attract top talent. Most importantly, they inspire us to keep pushing boundaries and delivering work we’re proud of.
You founded Monogram after recognizing a gap in northern expertise at major industry forums. How have you leveraged your local roots to help clients in smaller towns get noticed and compete with firms from larger cities?
Monogram was born out of a realization that voices from smaller towns and northern communities were often missing from the conversation at major industry forums. Too often, organizations outside large urban centres felt overshadowed, even though their stories were powerful and their impact was real. I knew there was an opportunity to change that.
By grounding our work in local roots, we’ve built an agency that understands the realities of smaller communities—their resourcefulness, resilience, and the importance of relationships. We’ve leveraged that perspective to help clients tell their stories in ways that resonate nationally, whether through compelling campaigns, media strategies, or digital platforms.
What sets us apart is that we don’t treat smaller-town clients as “less than.” Instead, we position them to compete head-to-head with big-city organizations by highlighting their strengths and uniqueness. That approach not only gets them noticed—it creates pride and momentum within their communities, showing that their voices matter on any stage.
With nearly two decades of experience across multiple sectors, what final advice would you offer to small and medium-sized businesses—especially those in smaller communities—who aspire to grow, earn recognition, and make a meaningful impact?
My advice is fairly simple: don’t underestimate the power of your story. Small and medium-sized businesses—especially in smaller communities—sometimes believe they need to act like big-city firms to be taken seriously. In reality, what sets you apart is your authenticity, your working relationships and the way you show up for your clients and community.
Growth starts with clarity: know your purpose, your values, and the impact you want to have. Then communicate it boldly and consistently. Recognition follows when you pair great work with the courage to put yourself forward—whether that’s applying for awards, sharing thought leadership, or engaging in industry conversations where your voice is needed.
Finally, invest in relationships. Trust is a currency of lasting impact, and it’s built over time with clients, partners, and your team. When you nurture those connections, growth and recognition become natural byproducts. Small doesn’t mean limited—often, it means agile, creative, and deeply connected. That’s where real impact is made.
