From Working for Brixwork To Growth and Success Worldwide: Teammates Reunion (2026)
My name is Jeff Kee, Founder & Director of Brixwork. This is a very unusual yet joyous blog post about some lovely reunions with my former staff, all the way in Europe!
A boutique agency that delivers outstanding design depends on outstanding people. At Brixwork, our team has always been small, tight-knit, and fiercely collaborative. I am deliberate about who I bring in: every hire is measured against our standards for design, work ethic, and how they show up for their colleagues. That discipline has given us one of the strongest staff retention rates in our industry — many of our designers and developers have stayed two to four years (and more in many cases).
The fact that I’ve kept in touch with some, and was welcomed to visit them all the way in Europe 10 to 15 years later is testament to how truly close we were, and great connections with the right people is one of the most rewarding part of my profession.
During these lovely reunions across Switzerland and Germany, I was genuinely impressed by how far they have come.
. . .
Three Former Brixwork Team Members
Thriving In The Design Agency & Media Marketing Field
Michelle Stark — Worked at Brixwork As A Graphic Designer
Now Running Her Own Branding and Design Agency (Switzerland)
The First European Eye We Brought Into Our Studio
When we opened our Gastown studio back in 2011, one of the very first designers I ever hired was Michelle Stark and she far exceeded my expectations. She brought something with her that instantly elevated the studio: a stylish, elegant European design sensibility, paired with the effortless Swiss precision.
She also brought great culture to our office with her laughter, positivity, and good vibes.
I saw her in Aarau, Switzerland, in early May, and explored Lucerne and Zurich and caught up on 15 years of our lives.
From Co-Op to Her Own Branding Agency
She is now running her own branding and design agency, wirkungs-Stark, in Aarau. She has launched captivating branding systems, beautifully curated print and physical media, and comprehensive web design projects. One of our own building her own world – That’s the kind of trajectory that makes you proud as a founder.
Laura Greindl — Worked at Brixwork In Admin and Digital Marketing
Now A Marketing Manager at Hubert Burda Media (Germany)
The Marketer Who Never Once Said “I Can’t”
Laura joined us in 2016 to take care of our office administration as well as some digital marketing on our blog and social media, and what stood out immediately was her attitude. She approached every challenge with a positive “can do!” spirit — nothing daunted her, and no new skill or system was ever too much to take on.
She showed incredible organizational skills, sharp precision in her work, and stellar work ethics and drive that were genuinely rare. Coupled that with her intelligence and warmth, her growth rate was astonishing.
After working with us, she returned to Germany and went on to graduate from the University of Mannheim, then eventually got recruited by Hubert Berda Media, one of Europe’s largest media companies, with a portfolio of over 600 magazines and digital media brands worldwide.
From Co-Op to Global Management
She is now a Marketing Manager for their headquarters in Munich, Germany, following her extensive management training in Vienna, Austria. She has been instrumental in spearheading massive media campaigns that span from print to digital to massive industry events, and I was impressed beyond words, full of admiration.
Cindy-Lynn Harper — A Four-Year Veteran Graphic Designer
Who Came Back To Us In 2025 With Greater Capacity
The Designer Who Left to See the World — and Back on Our Team, Leading & Managing
Cindy-Lynn Harper worked with us from 2016 to 2019 — about four years — and she left a lasting impression on everyone here.
She was a well-organized self-starter with great design skills: the kind of communicator who could take a complex message and express it clearly and concisely through design. She was also remarkably good at keeping the rest of the team coordinated and working well together.
In 2019, she left to pursue her dream of seeing the world, moving to New Zealand. When COVID brought her back to her family in Canada, she shifted her focus entirely, channelling her energy into pursuing her personal missions in faith.
In late 2025, she decided to return to graphic design and marketing. As it happened, Brixwork had an opening; serendipitous and fortunate, especially for our team.
Working for Brixwork Again – We Hired Her Back Right Away
Since returning in October 2025, she has spearheaded some stunning design projects, including the brand revamp of some of our most prominent Realtors®, a fully custom website design for a prominent brokerage in Ontario, as well as several new Realtor® website projects. She’s gone above and beyond just her former graphic designer role, and striding comfortably towards project management and client coordination.
Watching Our People Grow and Thrive in the Agency/Design World – A Win!
Great work starts with great people — inside the team and outside it. Seeing my former hires thriving within and outside of our office is a reminder of why we invest so carefully in who we hire. Remaining close for years after they leave is the greatest proof of a real team culture where we treat each other as family, looking after each other always. Being able to call them colleagues — even after 10 ~ 15 years and thousands of kilometres apart — is something I don’t take for granted.
Latest Design Projects and Platform Upgrades at Brixwork
Boutique design and quality builds that bring results to our real estate professionals takes a village to build indeed. Take a look at our proud accomplishments of recent that embody the great team spirit in our small but mighty agency.
- 5 Real Estate Rebranding Projects That Raised the Bar (logo revamp and website upgrades)
- Palette at Brackendale: Project Marketing with PPC (build lots for sale in Squamish)
- Brixwork Website Platform Upgrades Throughout 2025 (faster, more secure, and better MLS® IDX)
Thank you to everybody from the past who gave me their best, as well as those who work with me today!
– Jeff Kee (Founder & Director of Brixwork Real Estate Marketing Inc.)
