John Paul Wager reflects on a decade of running his Sydney-based studio.

Nectar, the creative studio founded by John Paul Wager, marks its 10th anniversary this year. Over the past decade, the team has transformed into a dynamic branding agency. Their success stems from seamlessly combining global perspectives with local creativity, particularly in Sydney but extending globally. Nectar’s journey is a testament to their dedication and skill in crafting powerful brand narratives. I spoke with John Paul as he reflected on Nectar’s last decade.

IN: Can you give us an introduction to Nectar?

In the early days, we were whatever you wanted us to be! But after 10 years of refining our offering, clients, and work, I’m proud to say we are an independent, strategic creative agency working with an array of clients in Australia and around the world.

IN: How are you celebrating 10 years?

JP: It’s quite a surreal moment. I started Nectar when I was 30, and I’ve just celebrated my 40th – so it’s quite a milestone. I’ll celebrate with the team over a nice meal, I’ll be a little annoying sharing celebratory posts with friends, family, and clients, and then I’ll obsess over something small that’s annoying me. Then a whiskey! 

IN: Who was Nectar’s first client?

JP: You’re testing my memory, but our first client that was a real confidence booster and catalyst for growth was Dyson. We were engaged to assist with a small digital banner job, and our projects continue to evolve over time, with us doing everything from social strategy, video production, and animation to product releases and larger localised campaigns. We still work with them today, and they’re our longest client partnership. 

IN: Highlight of the decade?

JP: I don’t think it gets much better than today and celebrating 10 years. Nectar has been built solely on relationships and the team; working with amazing people, fostering a sense of creativity and support for each other, and ensuring we have an atmosphere and environment where we can all be a part of something inherently personal, rewarding and, meaningful.

IN: How has the studio evolved since you started in 2014?

JP: The first year or two was just finding work and saying yes to anything and everything that came our way. That worked for a little while, but as projects, clients, and budgets grew, the need for structure, process, and a little more depth in the team became increasingly apparent. We got a bigger office, hired some amazing early team members, and developed our network of freelance designers and agencies spanning digital and media. 

For about 2-3 years after that, there was a period of uncertainty and some pretty big highs and lows as I figured out how to run a business, manage projects, cash flow, and business development. Around year 5, we identified a few flaws in the agency and some increasing common trends in both the types of projects we were doing and the types of clients we were attracting. We’d become a bit of a brand mechanic, inheriting a lot of problems that weren’t ours and clients not liking the fact that they weren’t easily fixed. 

At that point we made some serious decisions to not participate in competitive pitches or present creative during the proposal phase. We provided our thoughts and early observations as to how we would approach a project, what we anticipated it would cost, and that was it. Impartial advice that was based on experience and a transparent approach to just being honest and realising that what we thrived on was creative briefs and clients who admired our work, appreciated our insights, and valued our input as an agency. Since then, we’ve moved offices 10 times, have worked with over 200 clients across 450 projects, and have an incredibly talented team of 6.

IN: What is the most memorable project to date?

JP: I think it would have to be our work for Bellingen Shire Council – not because it was winning awards or was a big budget, but because it allowed us to really get into the history of the community and what made it such a beautiful and unique place. The team and local community were amazing to work with, and despite a lot of tension surrounding the rebrand of such an iconic council identity, everyone understood why it was needed and embraced the project from start to finish.

IN: Biggest learning from running a small studio?

JP: Everyone jokes about it, but cash flow is king! Without it, things get pretty stressful, very quickly. Running a small studio is like a rollercoaster, and consistency in cash flow, which ultimately stems from new work or recurring projects, with clients who value and respect your time is difficult to find. Aside from that, learning to say no to jobs is tricky, but always go with your gut. If something feels slightly off, it is normally 99% likely that something is off and won’t work out as you imagined. It’s difficult to do, but normally works out for the better.

IN: How do you handle feedback from clients that conflicts with your design vision?

JP: Badly – ahahahaha! I’m joking, but really, as creatives, I think we’re more like therapists. We have to listen, decipher, rebuild, present, rethink, and often repeat the creative process a lot (within reason and fixed rounds of amends), but if we’re able to listen and avoid taking feedback personally, normally the feedback isn’t as bad as we think it is, and with the right encouragement and reassurance, the end result isn’t too far from what was imagined. We try to be clear with clients upfront regarding our process and what to expect, and some understand it, but some say they do, but don’t, and creative curiosity creeps in. That can be managed, but it does mean having to have some difficult discussions and asking ‘Why?’ a lot.

IN: How do you balance maintaining the studio’s unique identity while staying current with design trends?

JP: It’s really difficult – there are so many amazing agencies around the world, creating beautiful work that it’s almost impossible to not look at other work and be envious or influenced in some way, shape, or form. In the case of Nectar, we’ve always strived for balance in creativity and the commercial objectives of a brief. We must be strategic, aware of our audience, and pick the right moments and clients where we can really push design forward. Some we win, some we lose, but as long as we’re always challenging ourselves and our clients to care and be the best version of themselves, then we typically find a good balance in meaningful executions of strategy, design, and brand.

IN: Can you tell me about the upcoming work or projects?

JP: Ahh, it’s pretty mixed, and there are a few we’re waiting to hear back on; BUT, we’ve got a great project being rolled out for a charity in Melbourne, a new website for Above The Clouds, a rebrand and website for Permaconn, and a fun eCommerce store for a hot sauce brand. We’re also manifesting projects for a restaurant or wine/alcohol brand – so anyone reading this; give us a shout!

IN: What will Nectar look like in 2034?

JP: That feels way to scary to think about having just turned 40, but in 2034, I’d hope that the agency is fully owned and run by the collective team as a shared entity amongst everyone in the business. That way everyone can grow; we all evolve as creatives, and we can continue to share our knowledge and experience with a new generation of designers.