Supplier of the Year. Vendor of the Year. These are just a couple of the accolades displayed along the wall near the entrance of No Limit Agency’s River North office.

No Limit, a hybrid communications firm specializing in public relations, marketing and social media, has made a sizeable splash in the franchising industry and has facilitated the growth of 40-plus brands through consumer and franchise development PR efforts.

The NLA way was already planned out when Chief Brand Strategist, Nick Powills, started the company in 2008. Powills’ philosophy is that brands don’t tell stories, but when its people do, others listen.

This has been the foundation of the Chicago-based PR firm ever since. As the years passed, Powills and his team have been delivering stronger relationships, services and results to a growing roster of both franchise and non-franchise brands.

Last year, No Limit hired Vice President Lauren Boukas and Chief Development Strategist Sean Fitzgerald to its executive team. These new positions, coupled with the growing team of digital strategists, creative consultants and media relations specialists, has helped No Limit brands hit higher numbers and achievements.

“Last year we signed 17 franchise agreements coming from three the year before, so that showcases the strength of the relationship,” said Philip Schram, executive vice president of Buffalo Wings & Rings. “The exposure has been a very good success to telling our brand story, and they have given us the ability to deliver quickly.”

And as the business landscape changes, so does No Limit’s versatility.

The company is on the cusp of moving into a bigger office –one that can hold approximately 50 employees. The move into the Prudential Building in the Loop area of Chicago is a stepping stone to being able to service more clients with greater resources at a faster pace. The brand also recently launched 1851 Franchise, a comprehensive content marketing and franchise development solution created to educate, inform and inspire those interested in franchising with real, daily content.

“No Limit’s success lies in its ability to create shelf-life and real conversations with an audience,” said Fitzgerald. “We not only provide the right strategy, but we support our brands with tools like 1851, digital strategy, strong messaging, SEO and design. We’re continuously bridging those gaps.”

And because this is the public relations business, No Limit has placed a heavy focus on defining its culture of people. The company’s office culture is best described as “relaxed.” A ping pong table, dartboard and stocked bar has helped keep morale high and a mentality of work hard, play hard.

Even as it grows, the exciting start-up feel of the firm will remain.

“[With a smaller agency] there is the ability to make agile decisions, which allows us to be nimble,” Schram said. “We also see the quality of talent and the level of creativity that comes from the team.”

Powills and his account executives recently signed six new brands in four separate states including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Texas and Louisiana. If No Limit Agency has its way, its unique Windy City spirit will spread even further in the years to come.