Our Expertise

We help organizations find opportunities, solve complex problems, and turn good ideas into meaningful growth. Our work spans four connected disciplines.

Growth Strategy and Opportunity Mapping

Find the Opportunity

Opportunity mapping, prioritization, and pathways for expansion.

We help organizations see where the strongest opportunities lie and decide where to focus. Our work identifies what matters most, what needs to change, and the clearest path from intention to measurable progress.

Capabilities include:
• Growth & opportunity audits
• Competitive + market positioning
• Revenue & business model strategy
• Go-to-market planning
• Leadership advisory & decision support

Marketing Strategy & Messaging

Unify Voice

We help organizations say what matters in ways people understand and remember. From positioning and messaging to campaigns and storytelling, we connect strategy to the people you need to reach.

Capabilities include:
• Brand strategy, positioning & narrative
• Creative & advertising campaigns
• Content systems & storytelling frameworks
• Digital, video & multimedia production
• Multi-channel campaign execution

Systems and Operational Efficiency

Remove Friction

We find the friction that slows organizations down and design better ways of working. That can mean rethinking a workflow, introducing automation, improving communication, or using AI where it genuinely makes the work better.

Capabilities include:
• Workflow & process design
• Automation solutions
• Internal communication optimization
• Tools, platform selection & implementation
• Metrics, analytics & reporting systems

Brand & Creative Direction

Become Irresistible

We build brands with a clear point of view. From identity and messaging to campaigns, experiences, and large-scale creative production, we help organizations express who they are and make people care.

Capabilities include:
• Brand identity development
• Creative direction, visual language & style systems
• Campaign concepts & storytelling
• Experience design & large-scale creative production
• Cross-discipline creative leadership

Selected Outcomes

Real-world results shaped by 17 years of insight, intelligent strategy, and meaningful execution.

  • High-Stakes Public Messaging

    Amid rapid growth and shifting health communications needs, Kaiser Permanente turned to us to stabilize, streamline, and scale their social media systems resulting in major gains in engagement.

    Kaiser Permanente
  • City skyline at sunset with tall buildings, a river, and cloudy sky.

    Iconic Waterfront Repositioned

    Baltimore’s waterfront needed a clearer identity and a refreshed story. We helped reposition this historic destination with a modern strategy that brought clarity, cohesion, and momentum.

    Waterfront Partnership
  • A large classic-style library building with a sign that reads 'ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY' at the top center. Several flags are flying on top, and the street in front has parked cars, pedestrians, and trees.

    Record Breaking Audience Growth

    We helped reposition Enoch Pratt Free Library as a modern, community-centered institution driving record attendance, expanding awareness across 21 branches, and producing an award-winning podcast that deepened public engagement.

    Enoch Pratt Free Library
  • A floating structure with large cartoonish eyes on a body of water, resembling a whimsical watercraft or attraction, with a city skyline and a water taxi in the background.

    Global Cultural Phenomenon

    We transformed an innovative harbor trash interceptor into a global environmental icon by creating the personality, storytelling, and social presence that made Mr. Trash Wheel a beloved internet celebrity and international symbol for ocean conservancy.

    Mr. Trash Wheel
  • Close-up view of solar panels on a roof during sunset or sunrise

    Market Expansion Unlocked

    What Works Studio transformed GreenWell Energy’s go-to-market playbook. The result: a nine-figure pipeline.

    GreenWell Energy
  • Night view of a city waterfront with colorful star-shaped lights floating on the water, modern high-rise buildings with illuminated windows, and a large tent-like structure on the pier.

    Large-Scale Cultural Impact

    As the original creators of Light City, we led the concept, strategy, and partnership development behind America’s first international light festival, generating $111.6M in economic impact, drawing 1.3M+ attendees, and securing more than 2.9B media impressions over its three-year run.

    Light City Festival

  • Producing a Sold-Out, Six-Day Innovation Conference

    We produced Light City U, a six-day sold-out innovation conference that brought together leading voices in technology, creativity, and social change. As part of the larger Light City festival, the conference helped generate over $33M in first-year economic impact and contributed to more than 1.3M attendees across its three-year run.

    Light City U Conference

  • An Award-Winning Chronicle of Baltimore’s Creative and Cultural Scene

    We launched What Weekly, a Baltimore arts and culture magazine that grew into an award-winning international platform publishing thousands of stories, receiving major press recognition, and galvanizing a creative community over seven impactful years.

    What Weekly
  • View of Earth from space with the atmosphere glowing at the horizon, above a starry sky with a bright star or planet shining

    Positioning & Product Launch

    We helped Saft America launch its Xcelion® battery line globally with a cohesive strategy, elevated visual identity, and targeted digital campaigns that drove strong engagement and qualified leads.

    Saft USA
  • Two construction workers wearing yellow safety helmets and blue uniforms looking at a tablet against the setting sun.

    Workforce Attraction Strengthened

    Following Aerotek’s shift to industrial staffing, we delivered a deep audit, defined clear audience personas, and built a cross-channel content strategy that drove higher engagement, stronger reach, and measurable increases in traffic from both candidates and hiring managers.

    Aerotek
  • girl sitting on stoop

    Public Health Awareness Amplified

    We developed a culturally aligned, community-tested awareness campaign for UMMC’s Midtown Campus deploying 25+ high-impact mall installations, elevating visibility for key service lines, and saving the client more than $100K in production costs.

    University of Maryland Medical

  • Aerial Spectacle for UMMC’s 200th Anniversary

    We created and directed a large-scale drone show for UMMC’s 200th anniversary, delivering a city-wide spectacle that honored Baltimore and captivated Artscape audiences.

    University of Maryland Medical Center

  • “Working with the What Works team was a pleasure, from start to finish. I found their expertise invaluable.”

    Denise Russo, Kaiser Permanente

    More Testimonials

Explore Working Together

We partner with a limited number of organizations each year. If you're considering what comes next, we'd love to hear what you're working on.

Introduce your project