Quiet Storm, Loud Impact These co-workers are rewriting the playbook on creativity, equity, and what it means to build an enduring legacy—together.

When Rania Robinson joined Trevor Robinson at Quiet Storm, a London-based creative agency, in 2012, the couple already had years of partnership under their belts. Married with two young children, their lives were a balancing act of family and professional aspirations. Yet stepping into the advertising agency Trevor founded 17 years earlier presented a whole new challenge for Rania. "The biggest challenge for me was leaving work at work," she recalls. "It was a time of big transition for our business. Quiet Storm was moving into a partnership with another agency, Inferno. A year later, in 2013, Inferno was acquired by Interpublic Group. We then executed an MBO in 2014 and once more became independent."

Juggling those changes alongside family life was no small feat. "On top of this, back then, our kids were very young – three and four," Rania says. "I found having clear boundaries between work and family difficult – more so than Trevor, who, being a creative, has always been better at drawing lines and taking time out. And I learned from him that you have to take your head out of a problem to solve that problem. When our children were smaller, we were lucky enough to have good support. Even so, it was still difficult, as often we'd both be limited to attending recitals simultaneously. But you do have to make massive sacrifices sometimes, and I did. Now, with a bigger team and older kids, we have better balance."

Rania's evolution from joining the agency to becoming CEO marked a groundbreaking shift in the industry. As one of the few women of colour in a senior leadership role in advertising, she has used her platform to advocate for change. "The biggest thing has been trying to be visible and be a positive role model – two things that I never felt I had earlier in my career. And when you don't have that, the subliminal message you can take away is that you don't belong."

Visibility and inclusivity have become central to Quiet Storm's ethos under Rania's leadership. "Because of this, we have both worked hard to support young talent of colour and people from diverse backgrounds generally. And I am proud to say we have a strong female leadership team. Both Trevor and I have done a lot to leverage our unique perspective, and for me, this has involved my work with WACL, along with our own initiative Create Not Hate, and Quiet Storm's DE&I policies, as well as being an ambassador within our business and the wider industry."

The agency's commitment to redefining norms extends to its structure. In 2020, Quiet Storm transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) model. For Rania and Trevor, this decision was about aligning the agency's structure with its values. "We switched to an Employee Ownership Trust structure in 2020 to release equity from the business without the risk to the culture that comes from a traditional sale and pay forward by allowing agency employees to share in its success," Rania explains.

Trevor's original vision for Quiet Storm – an agency free from the burnout culture typical of the industry – was key. "Trevor's intention for founding Quiet Storm wasn't ever based on building a business he could simply scale then sell on. The core reason was that he wanted to work differently, to write and create his own ideas. And I'm the same – we both wanted to do things differently."

Five years into the EOT model, the results speak for themselves. "We're still independent, feature highly in new business rankings, and our staff retention is strong – average tenure is seven years, and we regularly come among the top performers regarding best places to work. But perhaps above all, given how challenging the past four years have been for the ad industry, while many of our similarly-sized competitors have sold or folded, we're still here."

Both Rania and Trevor have poured their energy into initiatives that go beyond the business. Quiet Storm's not-for-profit arm, Create Not Hate, works to get underrepresented young people into the creative industries. "My time as WACL president for their 100th year was focused on working hard to accelerate gender equality in our industry with the mission to drive gender parity at the CEO level," Rania says.

These efforts are not without their costs. "Doing all these things is essential because of visibility – the more role models you see, the more you feel a sense of belonging. However, lasting and positive change is the key here, and I can't deny that in the current climate, this has become very difficult because while it is personally very enriching, it takes a lot out of you. When you do one thing, you're not doing something else. This means it can distract you from the day-to-day running of your business – which, when the economy is tough, and given these kinds of initiatives, will only deliver over the long term can be very challenging."

As Quiet Storm approaches its 30th anniversary, both founders reflect on the agency's achievements and future. "We're still here!" Rania says with pride. "Then there's the work we're proud of – the iconic advertising we have created for brands such as Haribo over our long-standing 16-year partnership, On The Beach and Vimto and the results it has achieved; our not-for-profit work; the legacy of Create Not Hate; and our support for mental health."

Looking ahead, the couple remain grounded in their values, even as they navigate an ever-changing industry. "It's never been more important than to find the balance between embracing the new, such as, but not only AI, whilst also remaining true to your core business principles," Rania notes.

For entrepreneurs looking to build a lasting legacy, her advice is simple: "Balance the new – latest market developments, technologies, consumer behaviour and so on – with foundational principles that never change. At Quiet Storm, holding onto our core principles as a business and leaders has made us durable and continue to punch above our weight whilst weathering the uncertainties of the business landscape as a team."