Off the Cuff

Ponies are scrappier and smarter than horses. They tend to be more agile and loyal. In equestrian terms, they’re “14 Hands.” And that’s how we want to measure ourselves—as well as our potential partners. It’s a different way of working. A way that recognizes that things have changed. The business model as we knew it has become static and antiquated. What’s needed is a far more vigorous, creative, and collaborative approach that will lead to a more agile, open, and profitable place—for our partners first, and then for us.

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Georell Bracelin is a client’s best friend. She has launched a successful women’s snowboard business, has led marketing efforts for an international active sports business and has served as account director at a number of advertising firms. So she’s smart. And she’s nice. Really nice. Her brand experience includes Sprite, Morrow Snowboards, Micron, First Interstate Bank, ESPN, Sunriver Resort and Tony Roma Restaurants.

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Elicia Putnam founded 14 Hands and trust us: she questions everything. She has worked with executive teams in a wide range of industries, including non-profit, medical, banking, telecommunications, retail and technology. She is the chief strategic officer of 14 Hands but she even questions her title: didn’t Henry Ford adopt the whole “chief_______officer” bit from the Prussian army? She helps 14 Hands’ clients figure out who they are. So, who are you?

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Tenley Wicks is a graphical designer. Now, we realize that the official term is actually “graphic designer” but Tenley is deep into numerology and apparently there’s something important about those extra two letters in “graphical.” Tenley only works for firms that have numbers in them (Ralston 360, 14 Hands), and only works on clients that have numbers in them (919 Bond, Seven Peaks; Capstone Wealth Management and Bank of the Cascades were okay because they both dealt with numbers). You may have noticed that even her name has a number in it.

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Jessica Gowdy won't take "no" for an answer. So we consider ourselves lucky that she said "yes" to us. Timelines quiver, deadlines shake, budgets get very very nervous when Jessica is in the room. Our project manager extraordinaire, Jessica is the creme de la creme when it comes to telling people exactly what to do. She's worked with Nike, Microsoft, Stanley Tools and Nautilus. And she told them what to do too.

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Leah Stephenson is our queen of SEO and our empress of social media.  Cyberspace spiders are at her command.  She handles her power quite gracefully - and often has regal creative ideas to pitch into the mix.  She is wise beyond her years - and wears her digital crown with worldly ease.

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Mike Simmons's quiet presence is felt throughout every corner of 14 Hands. But if bills don’t get paid or invoices don’t get sent out, stand back for his roar. Mike used to spend his time running a farm equipment dealership in Eastern Washington then cashed out and moved to Bend. Between signing checks, Mike spends his time skiing in the winter and road-biking in the summer. Tough life.