Thought-Leadership Marketing
Challenge: Present Amperon’s subject-matter expertise to raise awareness for the company and the value they create for participants in wholesale electricity markets.
Client:
Amperon
Industry:
Utilities
Challenge:
Present Amperon’s subject-matter expertise to raise awareness for the company and the value they create for participants in wholesale electricity markets.
What We Did:
Interviewed leadership and internal subject matter experts
Developed concept outlines and media pitches
Drafted white papers, op-eds and blog posts
Placed op-eds with industry media outlets
Pitched podcast guest appearances
How We Did it:
Amperon was founded in 2018 to bring cutting edge analytical technology to utility industry forecasts. To that end, they assembled a team with top-tier talent in data science, artificial intelligence and meteorology, as well as deep experience in energy markets. Following a successful Series A funding in 2022, Amperon engaged us to begin a consistent program of thought-leadership marketing. In collaboration with their new marketing lead, we established a content strategy centered around white papers and promotional content that would raise industry awareness of the company, while showcasing their deep expertise and educating potential customers.
Each whitepaper is aligned with Amperon’s near-term business goals for its expanding suite of analytical and forecasting services. The content development process then begins by interviewing Amperon’s subject matter experts, who explain the complexities of data models, machine-learning algorithms, market operations and much more. Following the interviews, our job is to develop a concept outline and ultimately draft a paper that balances the audience’s informational needs with the marketing goals. After drafting the whitepaper, we refine the main strategic concepts into a short op-ed that we pitch to our editorial contacts at industry publications. Then, any valuable deep-dive information that didn’t make it into the white paper is put into a blog post for Amperon’s website.
Outcomes:
To date, we’ve developed four white papers that Amperon has used to explain the strategic value of different forecasting services to different market participants. In addition, we’ve developed four op-eds and successfully placed them in industry publications to help promote each paper. Supplemental blog posts have also helped drive downloads of the white papers while serving the needs of more knowledgeable audience members.
In 2024, we expanded our work with Amperon to include the development of quarterly Q&As with Amperon CEO Sean Kelly and to pitch him as a guest for industry podcasts. He appeared on The Power Podcast in March 2025, and another guest appearance is in the works.
“I met Bart before Amperon even had a marketing team, and I was impressed with the quality of the content he was producing for other industry vendors,” Kelly said. “As soon as we hired our marketing lead, I introduced them and said, ‘Get this guy going for us.’ It’s been a great partnership ever since, and we couldn’t be happier with what he’s been able to help us achieve.”
Industry Report Development
Challenge: Quickly develop a compelling report for the first-ever virtual Itron Utility Week (IUW) conference.
Client:
Itron
Industry:
Utilities
Challenge:
Quickly develop a compelling report for the first-ever virtual Itron Utility Week (IUW) conference.
What We Did:
Developed survey questions for the IUW Advisory Board
Analyzed responses
Drafted executive summary and response summaries
Selected and edited quotes
Edited Advisory Board bios for consistency
How We Did It:
We’ve developed white papers, case studies and op-eds for Itron in the past, so we were able to get a quick start on this project. In fact, we were in the middle of developing a white paper on distributed intelligence capabilities when the need arose for a piece of content that could give greater visibility to the Advisory Board for the annual Itron Utility Week conference. Typically, board members, who work at large and small utilities across the U.S., play an active role in the three-day event, which brings together thousands of industry professionals. However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event was taking place virtually for the first time, and Itron wanted to ensure that the Advisory Board’s perspectives were well-represented.
A little over a month before the event, we developed three survey questions with a chronological thread that inherently linked responses to a compelling narrative about the conference’s theme—innovation. By exploring how utilities responded to the pandemic, we also were able to reinforce the timeliness of Itron’s most recent Resourcefulness Report on disaster preparedness. As survey responses trickled in from Advisory Board members, we quickly analyzed them for themes and outstanding quotes. With an eye on our hard deadline, we began drafting, editing and assembling the different parts of the report as soon as we had enough material to do so, adding new pieces as they became available up to the last minute.
Outcomes:
Despite the tight deadline and limited responses from the Advisory Board, we met the deadline, giving Itron’s marketing team enough time to review the content and pass it along to internal graphic designers. Ultimately, the 15-page report was downloaded more than 2,000 times in the weeks surrounding the event and drew praise from Advisory Board members and attendees.
“We were extremely fortunate to have Bart handling our conference Advisory Board report,” said Itron’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Marc Heimbigner. “Our entire team was busy handling other challenges associated with moving the conference online, so we had very little time to give to this important piece. Bart simply picked it up and took care of it. He knew immediately what we were after and how to pull it together. In fact, the copy he submitted as a first draft was essentially the finished product. Bart’s an absolute pro at what he does and a pleasure to work with. That’s why he’s become our go-to guy over the last few years.”
Book Development & Editing
Challenge: Support a large and growing online community of designers with high-quality online content.
Client:
InVisionApp
Industry:
Software Design
Challenge:
Support a large and growing online community of designers with high-quality online content.
What We Did:
Provided development and copyediting for a 25,000-word dynamic e-book on enterprise design sprints.
How We Did It:
Building on our experience with other design consultancy clients, we worked closely with author and designer, Richard Banfield. Together we captured lessons and best practices from his experience leading design sprints for clients, as well as numerous interviews he conducted with large enterprises that successfully use the design sprint process.
The first step in our involvement was to develop a concepts outline from the 6,000-word skeleton draft Richard had already drafted. With the ideas plotted, we began identifying holes to be filled and information that needed clarification, anecdotal support or graphic design. We also suggested rearranging chapter subsections to improve the overall flow of the book and even out chapter lengths. Next we supported the author in adding the needed level of detail to elevate the concepts outline to a writing outline.
Once Richard began drafting new copy, we provided both development editing and copyediting in tight succession in an effort to meet a relatively short deadline. The first editorial pass typically offered a mixture of clarifying questions and formatting suggestions, as well as copy edits. Then we reviewed each of Richard’s further revisions for clarity, and offered line edits as needed.
Outcomes:
Enterprise Design Sprints went live as a dynamic e-book on InVision’s DesignBetter.co on September 18, 2018. In the first three months alone, it was viewed more than 20,000 times online and downloaded as an epub 10,000 times.
“Bart is a top-notch editor. He took my very loose start to the Enterprise Design Sprints book and gave it a much-needed overhaul,” said Richard Banfield, author, and CEO of design consultancy, Fresh Tilled Soil. “I’ve told Bart this a few times already, but I’ll say it again, working with him made me a better writer. I’ve already recommended him to one of my clients, which is perhaps the best indication of how I feel about his work.”
“It’s obvious Bart knows the writing process inside and out,” said Aarron Walter, VP of Design Education at InVision. “He guided the development and writing of our Enterprise Design Sprints ebook with the kind of assurance that allowed me and my team to focus on production and promotion without any worries about the text.”
Strategic Plan Writing
Challenge: Develop and publish a five-year strategic plan for this research center within the Scheller College of Business.
Client:
Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, Georgia Institute of Technology
Industry:
Academia, Sustainability
Challenge:
Develop and publish a five-year strategic plan for this research center within the Scheller College of Business.
What We Did:
Provided all writing and editing for the strategic plan document.
How We Did It:
New Growth principal Bart King participated in meetings and activities of the Center’s strategic plan steering committee and provided insight from his work with other sustainability research centers. Following the initial sessions, he worked closely with the Center’s faculty director to draft and revise vision and mission statements for review by the committee. The remaining sections, including history, goals and objectives were developed after reviewing the Center’s existing content for themes, language and voice. These sections were outlined, drafted and revised with the Center’s director via shared documents and phone consultations.
Outcomes:
Graphic design for the document was completed in house and the strategic plan was published in fall 2016, solidifying the Center’s mission and near-term goals, as well as laying an important foundation for thematic focus, program development, and future fundraising.
“Publishing our strategic plan was a major step forward that created alignment within the Center and with the strategic plans of Scheller College,” said Faculty Director and Professor Beril Toktay. “Bart’s responsiveness and nuanced understanding of organizational language were especially important in the success of this effort. He’s been a valuable resource to the Center for several years, and I recommend him highly.”
Thought Leadership Editorial Support
Challenge: Execute a regular content marketing strategy for a busy, design consultancy.
Client:
Azul Seven
Industry:
Design, Biomimicry
Challenge:
Execute a regular content marketing strategy for a busy, design consultancy.
What We Did:
Provided ongoing, personalized editorial support to a diverse team of thought leaders.
How We Did It:
New Growth Communications began working on Azul Seven’s content marketing initiative after the design and innovation firm had already developed a lead-generation strategy with a digital marketing agency. We came in to assist in producing weekly thought-leadership articles targeting specific buyer personas at different stages of the sales process.
Per the strategy, designers at Azul Seven were responsible for publishing on predetermined topics roughly every six weeks. Each designer had a different level of writing skill and drew on New Growth’s editorial support to varying degrees. For some, we provided a sounding board for ideas and effective outlines around which they began drafting. For two non-native English speakers, we provided the initial drafting as well. For others, we simply stepped in at the copyediting stage to help clarify thoughts and polish presentation.
In short, we met the writers where they were and helped them cross the finish line as efficiently and effectively as possible. Our role also included careful management of shared documents, coordinating with Azul Seven’s marketing project manager and urging writers forward, as needed, with friendly reminders.
Outcomes:
Together we completed dozens of articles and case studies highlighting Azul Seven’s expertise in design thinking, biomimicry, digital healthcare design and numerous other SEO-ready topics. Personalized editorial processes and relationships allowed us to respond flexibly to strategic and scheduling demands. Azul Seven’s visibility and reputation grew as a result of publishing regular, high-quality content and helped to create a significant growth opportunity.
"Working with Bart of New Growth Communications has been a breakthrough for us,” says Azul Seven co-founder and CEO, Lisa Helminiak. “We’ve worked with other writers and editors in the past, but none matched his level of professionalism and talent. From pulling ideas onto the blank page to carefully addressing concerns of voice and language, he’s clearly invested in facilitating our thought leadership and copywriting. Our entire team enjoys working with him and his speed and responsiveness have been critical to the launch of our new website and content marketing efforts. Frankly, I’m not sure how we would produce this much content without him.”