At Sanctuary, our values are more than just words on a page—they are the foundation of everything we do. They guide our decisions, shape how we engage with our clients and each other, and remind us of the company we aspire to be. Our values create a framework that keeps us aligned, ensuring that we act with integrity, deliver exceptional work, and build meaningful relationships. They help us navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and stay focused on what truly matters. By holding ourselves accountable to these principles, we cultivate a culture of trust, excellence, and continuous growth.
But recently, I realized something—we don’t explicitly mention trust as an official value. And yet, trust is at the heart of everything we do. Even the origin of our name, Sanctuary, is rooted in the essence of trust. When we say our rallying cry, “We Are Sanctuary,” we are making a promise—to be a true sanctuary for our team, our clients, and our community.
But we can’t fulfill that promise without trust.
Trust: Vital from Day One
When the company was founded, trust was essential from day one. First, I needed the trust of my wife. One day, I told her I wanted to quit my job, put tens of thousands of dollars on multiple credit cards, and start a company. We had three small kids, a house, and a dog. I was asking her to take a leap of faith—and she did. She trusted me, and I trusted her to support me and our new company in a hundred different ways.
I also had to earn the trust of new clients who had no prior relationship with me. I was stepping into existing partnerships, taking over projects from someone else, and proving myself from day one. Gaining and maintaining their trust was critical to getting the company off the ground.
The Cornerstone of Our Culture
Almost two decades later, trust has become a cornerstone of our company culture—it fuels collaboration, strengthens relationships, and empowers our team to do their best work. When we trust and empower each other, we communicate openly, take bold ideas forward, and support one another through challenges. Trust allows us to hold ourselves accountable, knowing we can rely on our team to act with integrity and excellence. It creates a workplace where our team feels valued, respected, and safe to grow.
Trust also plays a key role in how we encourage learning and growth. We believe in giving our team the freedom to take risks and make mistakes because that’s how innovation happens. When trust is strong, failure isn’t a setback—it’s a stepping stone to improvement and innovation.
Why We’re Different
From the beginning, Sanctuary has been different from traditional marketing and advertising agencies. We don’t want to be just another company making big promises—we strive to be a company that everyone can truly trust at every level. The very definition of a sanctuary is a place of safety, free from fear—a refuge. A place where people feel secure. A place where promises are kept.
The word trust may not be officially listed in our values, but it is embedded in everything we do. It’s the thread that ties us together. When we say We Are Sanctuary, we’re saying this to our team, clients and community:
- We’re here for you.
- We’ll work hard for you.
- We’re experts.
- We’re partners.
- We’re friends.
- And most importantly—you can trust us to deliver the results you need.
At the end of the day, trust isn’t just part of our work—it’s the foundation of who we are and who we strive to be.