Business Name: ECP
Business Owner: Bryan Houck
Funded Date: 1/14/2026
Forecasted Jobs Created: 4
Their Story:
ECP is a top-of-mind advertising agency in West Michigan. Known for award-winning creative and strategic marketing, the agency has built a reputation for putting ideas first and doing the extra work needed to solve complex challenges. From earning a Cannes Lions Award to expanding into Detroit and successfully transitioning to new leadership, ECP has continued to evolve. Throughout its growth, the agency has remained focused on a simple mission: helping brands break through a crowded ad landscape with smart, simple, and impactful ideas.
But it did not start this way. Twenty years ago, ECP began as a basement-based freelance operation, built on the belief that ideas matter more than overhead. That basement soon gave way to a scrappy studio loft with a leaky ceiling and big ambitions, before the agency continued to grow. This founding principle still guides ECP today, shaping a creative process that strips away the unessential to uncover simple truths that drive results. Supported by West Michigan’s collaborative business community, ECP has grown alongside its clients, delivering strong returns for organizations like Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Mary Free Bed, and Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. Through community involvement and nonprofit support, ECP continues to build not just brands, but a lasting impact on the region it calls home.
The Vision:
ECP’s vision has always remained the same: to keep everything simple. “It takes a lot of time and care to strip away everything unessential and get to a simple truth, and that’s what excites us.” This unique viewpoint is the fueling factor behind ECP’s vision – to be a leader in the advertising and servicing industry.
The Journey:
From the beginning, ECP was built on the belief that success is only meaningful when it is shared. What started as a lean, idea‑driven operation has grown into an agency known for delivering exceptional return on investment, because ECP’s wins are inseparable from their clients’ wins. Over the past 20 years, that philosophy has guided every stage of their journey, helping West Michigan‑Based brands to grow, adapt, and stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
As the agency has evolved, so has its commitment to the community that helped shape it. ECP proudly supports West Michigan’s continued advancement by partnering with local companies, volunteering time and talent, and donating creative resources to nonprofits and small businesses that need an extra boost. They believe a rising tide truly lifts all boats, and they’re excited to keep building alongside a region whose future is as ambitious as their own.
GLCF and the SBA 504 Program:
Great Lakes Commercial Finance, along with SBA 504 Loan Program, provided a positive experience for Extra Credit Projects. With low down payment options and the fixed interest rates GLCF provides, ECP was able to “acquire the building our business is based in, enabling long term stability and the ability to grow our business.” Without the type of security their loan provides, ECP may have needed to “relocate” or have “other restrictions.”
