Join the Network
PILLAR is built on
the people who do the work.
PILLAR's contractor network is how world-class creative, communications, and marketing gets made. Senior talent paired with meaningful projects. No layers. No bloat. Just the work.
How PILLAR Works
A modern, distributed
studio. Built around
the work.
PILLAR invests in the tools and systems that make the work better and skips everything that doesn't. That means more budget going to talent, better infrastructure for the people doing the work, and clients who get attention and creative firepower that would cost significantly more at a traditional agency.
We gather some of the finest creative and strategy talent available and pair them with projects that matter. Our contractors do profoundly meaningful work and earn above-fair wages. And because every dollar of overhead is intentional, the model works better for everyone: clients get more value, and the people doing the work get paid what they're worth.
The common thread isn't the sector. It's the commitment to world-class creative, communications, and marketing, delivered through a financial model that makes it accessible to organizations that have never had it and a better deal for organizations that always have.
Where You Fit
PILLAR builds the right team around each engagement.
We don't keep a bench of generalists. We maintain a network of specialists who get staffed on projects that match their strengths. Here's a sample of the kinds of talent in the network, though this list is always growing.
Strategy &
Messaging
Communications strategists, messaging architects, brand strategists, audience researchers, and the people who build the foundational language everything else is built on.
Creative &
Design
Designers, art directors, visual identity specialists, web designers and developers, video producers, photographers, and the full range of creative talent that makes an organization impossible to ignore.
Marketing &
Communications
Campaign managers, content strategists, social media leads, copywriters, PR professionals, earned media specialists, and the people who get the right message in front of the right people.
Leadership
Communications
Executive communications coaches, speechwriters, public speaking trainers, and thought leadership advisors who help leaders show up with clarity and confidence.
Production &
Project Management
Project managers, producers, coordinators, and the operational talent that keeps complex creative engagements running on time, on scope, and on budget.
Web &
Digital
Developers, UX/UI designers, SEO specialists, email marketing professionals, and digital strategists who build tools and experiences that actually work.
What to Expect
This is not a job listing.
It's an invitation.
Project-based, not permanent
You're an independent contractor. You maintain your own clients, your own schedule, and your own professional identity. When PILLAR has a project that fits your skills, we reach out. You do sign a noncompete that protects active client relationships, but it's generous and straightforward.
Above-fair compensation
PILLAR pays well because the work demands it. Contractor rates reflect the caliber of talent we bring to each engagement. No spec work. No "exposure" offers. Real rates for real work.
Senior-level work
You work directly with clients and with PILLAR's leadership. There are no junior teams passing deliverables up a chain, no layers of management between you and the people who need the work done.
Meaningful projects
National brands, nonprofits, government agencies, hospitality, entertainment, consumer tech. The sector doesn't matter. What matters is that the work matters and the creative needs to be exceptional.
The full PILLAR machine behind you
You get the infrastructure of an agency while keeping the freedom of a contractor. Project management, collaboration tools, creative direction, production support. You focus on the work you do best. PILLAR handles the rest.
Earn beyond the work
PILLAR Family contractors are eligible for the Co-Op: 10% commission on any client you refer, for two years, plus priority staffing on that engagement. The work pays. The relationships pay too.
The PILLAR Co-Op
You're not just freelancing here.
You're building something.
Every contractor in PILLAR's network is automatically eligible for the Co-Op. When you refer a client to PILLAR, you earn 10% of the signed statement of work value for two years. On a $75K retainer that renews, that's $15,000. You also get priority consideration to work on the engagement you helped create.
Learn about the Co-OpGet Started
Tell us about
yourself.
The application asks real questions about your work: what you do, who you've done it for, what you're proud of, and what kind of engagements make sense for you. We ask because we'd rather get to know you now than chase information later. You can save it and come back to it if you need to.
If you're not sure whether you're the right fit, apply anyway. PILLAR serves a wide range of organizations and the network is always evolving. The worst that happens is a good conversation.
PILLAR welcomes applicants of every background, identity, and lived experience. The strength of this network is the range of perspectives in it. If you do exceptional work, you belong here.
Prefer to talk first? Schedule a conversation with our founder.
Takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
Apply to the NetworkEddie Kaufholz, PILLAR's Founder + CEO, reviews every application personally. Review timelines vary, but you will hear from us.
Questions?
Not sure where
you fit?
Whether you're a seasoned creative, a strategist between roles, or someone who's been freelancing and wants to be part of something bigger, this is the right conversation to have.
Book a Conversation Prefer to send an email?