Dhaval Bhatt & Joel Holtby

Dhaval Bhatt and Joel Holtby did not set out to build a traditional creative agency. They set out to build a place that helps people and brands find their courage. Where bold ideas thrive in the face of the realities that often weaken them.

Dhaval’s journey, arriving in Canada at 21 without industry connections, shaped a leadership philosophy built on resilience, decisiveness, and belief in people. Joel’s path has always been grounded in craft, collaboration, and mentorship. Together, those perspectives formed this duo’s defining approach: human-to-human leadership, close involvement in the work, and a relentless focus on turning creative ambition into measurable impact. Over the past 18 months, that approach has powered: Revenue growth from $20M to $25M projected Significant expansion of Courage’s client roster Continued recognition across global and Canadian awards shows A culture where teams stay, grow, and produce industry-leading work Three years ago, Courage didn’t exist. Today it is one of North America’s fastest growing agencies that holds its work up as its calling card and where people love to work. None of this would be possible without the leadership of its creative founders, Dhaval and Joel.