27 November 2009
	PROFILE ALPHABET SOUP

Type of agency Media consultancy Telephone (011) 880-8655 Website www.alphabet-soup.co.za Key person Nikki Lewin, MD Ownership 100% local Black equity 0% Accounts gained 4 Accounts lost 1 Clients 19 Number of staff 6 Biggest clients - Glenrand MIB, Natura, African Palace Casinos, Gordon Institute of Business Science, Oki Printers Lewin, the founder and 80% owner, says she is tired of filling out awards questionnaires with justifications for performance, profits and returns on investment. Ambitions and achievement are more important. When she launched the business nearly a decade ago, one out of 100 new SA businesses survived for only five years. Though she is proud of beating the odds, "what really matters is being fulfilled with what we want out of life... and remembering why we love going to work". Growth is also important though she says it will stick to its plan to limit clients to 25 and combined billings to R100m. The biggest single client billing is R4,5m. Two of the agency's top five accounts - Natura and African Palace Casinos - were snared last year during a period in which income grew 30%. The agency collected two Assegai media awards.