Tired of chasing busywork over real impact? In this episode, Trevor Grimes sits down with Justin Price, principal and founder of Vers Creative, to explore a more meaningful way to lead creative teams. Drawing on his experience serving world-changing faith-based organizations and integrating AI into marketing, Justin reveals why “productive, not busy” should be every leader’s mantra. You’ll learn how to stop mimicking others and start making something that matters by embracing tight guardrails, using constraints as a gift, and ruthlessly editing toward excellence. Whether you’re an agency lead or in-house manager, you’ll leave with actionable takeaways for nurturing talent, driving innovation, and shipping your very best work—every time.

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👤 Guest Bio

Justin Price is the principal and founder of Vers Creative, a consulting agency helping faith-based nonprofits and for-profits grow through brand, marketing, and AI integration strategies. After 12 years as a creative director at top-tier nonprofits, Justin launched Vers to bring “special forces” expertise—tackling the hard stuff so clients can backfill and sustain success. He’s also the author of The Creative Squeeze, a leadership guide for getting the most from emotionally driven creative teams.

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📌 What We Cover

• How being “productive, not busy” fuels intentional growth for agencies and clients alike
• Vers Creative’s “special forces” model: advancing the line, then graduating clients to run on their own
• Why tight constraints and guardrails spark breakthrough creativity rather than stifle it
• Real-world budget examples: from $4,000 CAC on a $1 M spend to the challenge of a $50 CPA goal
• The power of “ship excellence”: ruthless editing and doing less, better, rather than more, mediocre work
• Lessons from The Creative Squeeze on leading emotionally driven creators versus other teams
• Balancing timeless brand DNA against fleeting trends in design, messaging, and voice
• Building a sustainable creative culture that prioritizes collaboration, risk-taking, and mentorship

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• The Creative Squeeze by Justin Price: https://www.verscreative.com/book
• Justin Price’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-price-053a27b1/
• Trevor Grimes’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-grimes/

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