Founded in 1997 by Lora Ledermann, Scream Agency is a woman-owned, Denver-based full-service creative, marketing, and PR agency that helps brands find their story and purpose through socially responsible solutions and brand strategy. Serving both B2C and B2B brands primarily in the financial, food & beverage, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors, Scream Agency is a mission-focused Certified B Corporation that prioritizes purpose-driven, socially-minded work. The agency excels at both strategy and execution to deliver high-performing results and to support clients’ larger business goals with marketing strategy, creative design & production, branding, media, planning & placement, web design, and PR offerings.

One Chapter Ends and a New Journey Begins

After 25 years at Scream Agency, Lora was focused on finding the perfect home for the business she spent years growing. She knew the brand was at an opportune time to continue to expand with the right leadership, and thought someone else would really enjoy the opportunity to take the business to the next level.

Lora wasn’t sure what would come next for her after taking time off to spend with her kids and family – but she knew she wanted to leave Scream Agency in capable hands. The company’s mission, clients, and team members were extremely important to her and she was willing to put her transition on hold, to ensure the business was in a good place. 

Lora reached out to Barney to open the door to a second career and family-filled next chapter with the exit she deserved. 

Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Good

A business that gets results and does good is what Scream Agency is all about: helping clients to be seen, be heard, and be a force to achieve good in the world. As a Certified B Corporation for five years, their mission is at the heart of everything they do. Scream Agency has a visible beneficial purpose and wide-ranging set of policies and investments that uphold cultural standards and practices for their purpose-driven certifications, which not only helps attract clients, but improves the agency’s impact. By sharing stories about brands that create change in businesses, communities and the world, Scream Agency’s team knows the powerful “be good” message will continue to spread.

Built on over 20 years of experience with a tenured team that drives innovation, provides strategic leadership across the agency, and creates revenue-growing relationships with clients, Scream Agency’s clients are always in good hands. Their culture fosters transparency and collaboration, where diverse perspectives are both celebrated and encouraged.

Positioned for growth, the agency was ready to expand their service offerings in web/content marketing, PR, social media, and brand development. Lora knew scaling these services could support client expansion and create a measurable impact on revenue. She just needed the right owner on board to take advantage of the opportunities at the agency’s doorstep, and to grow its workflow and team.

The Birth of an Unlikely, Incredible Partnership

As Lora explored conversations with potential buyers, it became increasingly apparent and important to her to maintain her woman-owned business status and maintain both her B-Corp certification and women-driven culture for her team. She wanted a buyer who aligned on the same purpose-driven morals who had the expertise and resources to support Scream’s clients, offerings, and growth in the long-term.  

Once we dove into Scream’s behind-the-scenes and figured out exactly what made them so special, we calculated the agency’s worth to buyers in today’s market. We crafted marketing materials to tell Scream’s story, and shared their value with high-potential, targeted buyers in our network. We brought Lora three potential buyers – two larger Denver-based agency buyers and an independent entrepreneur – and an unlikely, incredible partnership was born.

A Denver-Based Impact Investor and Marketing Leader 

Melanie Pease Davidson is a Denver-based impact investor and marketing leader with an 18-year consumer marketing background that includes working with clients like Under Armour, TD Bank, and AOL. Equally important, Melanie is a strong social advocate focused on supporting organizations and entrepreneurs that are dedicated to poverty alleviation, food stability and economic security. She’s also a board member for a foundation that helps rehabilitate underprivileged youth victims of trauma and is an advisory council member of an initiative that supports women, specifically women of color, running for office in Colorado.

Seasoned in building strong teams for success with a deep understanding of customer experience optimization, direct response marketing, digital marketing, customer and digital strategy, Melanie was a perfect fit to lead Scream into its bright future. Melanie’s previous large agency experience and business acumen, coupled with her patient demeanor and eagerness to jump into work quickly, made Lora excited and confident in the partnership. 

Showcasing a Diverse Buyer Pool to Find the Perfect Fit

Sometimes traveling down an unexpected path gets you exactly where you want to go! Both Melanie and Lora walked away from the table grateful for the opportunity and thrilled with the fit they found in each other. And at Barney, we’re delighted that we were able to showcase a diverse buyer pool for Lora to come to the conclusion that her personal passions for the business are truly reflected in Melanie!