Driving down Harney Street toward the Old Market, there sits what was once an unassuming grey building near 26th Street, now covered in graffiti: the Image Arts Building. From wild West Coast styles and anime characters to more traditional New York City subway art, each piece lends the property a particular flair. It’s no surprise the people and businesses that occupy the space are just as colorful and creative as the art on its walls.
Christopher Slater is one of those people. After experiencing what he calls a “lightning bolt moment,” Slater decided to launch his own business. On May 1, less than two months after he envisioned the concept, 2626 Harney Street became home to The Syndicate Agency, Slater’s boutique marketing services and business strategy consulting company. As suggested by the company’s name, Slater collaborates with clients on marketing such as graphic design and video.
“A syndicate is a group of people, most often business owners and businesses, who work together as a team with the shared goal of helping one another succeed,” he explained. “The Syndicate Agency is a full-service marketing agency—everything from logos and branding to websites to social media management, graphic design, and search engine optimization.”
The Image Arts Building was one with which he was “intimately familiar” for nearly a decade. Owned by Dana Altman, the grandson of famed film director Robert Altman, it’s home to his film company, North Sea Films, and houses dozens of Altman artifacts. 92 West, a strategically creative agency, Luke Direct Marketing, Omaha Advertising and Match Cut, another filmmaker specializing in documentaries, and the Omaha Film Festival also have their headquarters there.
Slater is particularly proud of his office. “My office was very barren previously and pretty sterile,” he said. “It had one conference table and a desk in it, and I’ve completely transformed the space. It’s a vibe.”
He also took the time to select specific items that have a personal meaning to him. From his great-grandfather’s typewriter to a raven lamp that’s a nod to his father, who graduated from Saint Benedict’s in Atchison, Kansas, where Slater was born, they all have a story.
“The inspiration behind the space was to be somewhere that I’m surrounded with creativity and love,” he said. “Nearly everything in there is connected to a friend or family member. There’re certain pieces in there like my great-grandfather’s typewriter. It was given to me by my uncle, who I donated a kidney to. He lived 12 years. He was very influential in my life. He had an advertising agency when I was a kid and I spent a lot of time there.”
Now, Slater spends most of his time at The Syndicate Agency, his “home away from home.” The ease of collaborating with so many like-minded individuals is something he doesn’t take for granted. He knows how lucky he is to be able to simply walk across the hall to get some inspiration from his fellow creatives.
“I keep joking about how we need a soup can and some kite string, like the ‘Little Rascals,’” he said with a laugh. “That would be awesome.”
For more information, visit /thesyndicateagency.co.
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2024 issue of B2B Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
