Building Culture at Scale

London based INCA Productions has spent nearly three decades at the forefront of experiential marketing and event production, delivering culturally resonant work for brands including Chanel, Netflix, Apple and the British Fashion Council. But the journey began with a desire to shake things up. “INCA Productions was launched 28 years ago,” says Nina Ferguson, who co-founded the company alongside Charlotte Clark. “I was driven by a desire to do things differently, to be in control of my own destiny and to create the kind of work culture I believe brings out the best in people.”

The pair weren’t interested in replicating existing agency models. Their focus was on culture, creativity and building something that felt more human. “I wanted to build something that was both creatively fulfilling and structurally sound, where values like trust, autonomy, and collaboration were the foundation of how we operated,” says Ferguson. Clark echoes that sentiment: “We were inspired to create something new, something fresh. We felt there was a space in the market for an agency that was both culturally connected and creatively approachable.”

At the time, production companies were often large and rigid. “What was missing was agility, a nimble, responsive mindset that could still deliver to the highest creative and technical standards,” says Clark. “From day one, it was essential to us that we remain culturally attuned while executing with precision and quality.”

What also set INCA apart was their commitment to people. “Equally important was our desire to empower the brilliant people around us, to build something that gave space for creative ambition and individual expression, especially for the phenomenal women we had surrounded ourselves with,” says Clark. “INCA has always been about championing talent and encouraging people to explore the full potential of their ideas.”

That belief has translated into some of the most ambitious and talked-about productions in recent years. “We worked with the British Fashion Council to transform the British Fashion Awards from a 250-person dinner at the V&A into the most prestigious fashion awards in the world, now hosted at the Royal Albert Hall,” says Clark.

Other landmark moments include a five-day takeover of central Manchester for Chanel, the first consumer and VIP rave for Netflix’s Squid Game Season II with a headline set from Peggy Gou, and a desert experience in Las Vegas for the Glenfiddich and Aston Martin collaboration during Formula 1. INCA even created the first-ever rotating stage at the Serpentine Summer Party, in collaboration with artist Es Devlin.

Today, they’re pushing into traditionally male-dominated sectors like gaming, finance, and automotive. “INCA is breaking ground in traditionally male-dominated industries such as automotive, sports, gaming, finance and tech,” says Ferguson. “We’re gearing up to produce the highly anticipated NAT Gala during New York Climate Week.”

Still, the early years weren’t without their hurdles. “One of the hardest things was defining what we actually did in a way that resonated with others,” Ferguson says. “We had a strong vision, but translating that into something people both understood and were prepared to pay for was a process of trial and error. We overcame it by being open to experimentation and not being afraid to fail. That willingness to try, learn, and iterate became one of our biggest strengths.”

Clark reflects on a different kind of challenge. “One of our biggest challenges was leading clients to be brave, but feel confident in their decisions,” she says. “We have been super lucky to work with people like Anya Hindmarch, Natalie Massanet, Yana Peel and Caroline Rush, who did not need to be pushed, they all asked for that bravery, they asked for us to break ground and celebrated the results.”

Unlike many agencies, INCA didn’t rely on investors to get started. “We didn’t raise any external funding,” Ferguson explains. “Instead, we started with a small loan from Charlotte’s friend and a lot of resourcefulness. It meant making hard choices early on, but it also gave us complete control over our direction and values.” Clark adds: “Nina has said it all, the loan was for three weeks and was for £2,000. That’s all the money that we have ever borrowed.”

With any long-standing business comes inevitable setbacks. “There were so many, and they were rarely easy,” says Ferguson. “But we handled them with grace and a positive mindset. We had a deep belief in ourselves and in the way we were doing things. Being a tight-knit team helped immensely, we were each other’s support systems and constantly reminded one another that when a door closed, there was always another way through.”

Clark adds: “Failure and setbacks have been the source of our greatest learnings. Being humble and quick to act when something is not going according to plan is a key part of successfully executing live events. We have built a team of phenomenally resourceful people that have the ability to pivot in multiple situations, even when a hurricane hits, when a terrorist threat grounds the skies to a halt for an international event or just when the client changes their minds on site.”

Looking back on their journey, both women offer advice to those hoping to scale a business to seven figures. “In today’s world, almost anything is possible,” says Ferguson. “But you can’t do it alone, your team will define your success, so choose your partners and collaborators wisely. Invest in people who share your vision and values. Trust yourself, especially your instincts. That inner voice will guide you through the noise and take you further than you might expect.”

Clark adds: “Focus on your product or service, hone in on your perfect delivery, refine, refine and refine. Over deliver and stand out from the crowd. Be brave, get it right and hire people who know more than you do in any specialist field. Learn and be open to new ideas, yet always draw your focus back to your core goal that has to be more than just a turn over. Make a plan and be prepared to deviate from it in order to get to your goal and profit is king, not just turn over. Give back to your team, your clients and those who need help the most. From our experience it has only served us well.”