When Nicola Probyn and Claire Alexander co-founded Firecracker Marketing and Events in Cape Town in 2012, they were driven by a clear conviction: that there was a better way to deliver marketing, and a better way to build a business.

That conviction has shaped everything Firecracker has become – an award winning marketing, events and digital agency partnering with clients at home and all over the world. In 2019, seven years into the journey of Firecracker, the business duo sparked something new…

Firecracker: Built for a different kind of ambition

Firecracker was founded on a model that puts senior thinking at the centre of every client engagement. Cross-functional teams are assembled around each brief, giving clients direct access to the strategic minds on their account – no layers, no friction and no compromise on quality.

Headquartered in South Africa, Firecracker delivers integrated marketing, digital, brand, and events work for clients across the globe, including international names like Barclays and Seequent. The agency’s offshore model offers something increasingly sought after: international-standard thinking, delivered smarter and more cost-efficiently.

What has always set Firecracker apart, though, is its culture and people. Psychological safety, flexibility, and the active empowerment of talent – particularly women – are built into how the agency operates. It’s a place where people are supported to do their best work, and it shows up in every campaign delivered.

“Your team will only do their best work when they feel free to push boundaries, challenge convention, and bring their whole selves to work. This is our culture and this is the foundation of our success.” Nicola Probyn, Director

Building something bigger: The launch of ASBN

By 2019, Nicola and Claire had experienced the value of business networks first-hand. They had also developed a clear picture of what a business network could become with the right brand, communications, and a world class member experience. .

Drawing on Firecracker’s expertise, they launched Africa Scotland Business Network (ASBN): a dynamic, international business network designed to connect senior leaders from established companies across Africa and up into Scotland and other parts of the UK, and facilitate meaningful business growth, worthwhile connections and support international trade.

Today, ASBN spans 115+ member companies across 15 countries and 27 sectors. It has grown into a thriving business community built on fantastic leaders, collaboration, shared insight, and meaningful connection, and it looks and feels unlike any other business network in the market.

In 2025, the ASBN leadership team welcomed another dynamic female leader: Laura Ferguson joined as a co-owner, bringing fresh energy and perspective to the network’s next chapter. Her arrival is a reflection of everything ASBN stands for – purposeful growth, strong leadership, and a commitment to bringing exceptional people into the fold.

The brand that makes ASBN stand out

A distinctive strength for ASBN is that it stands on the proven knowledge that a brand starts from the inside out and that all decisions are deliberate, considered and designed to demonstrate value.

The brand identity, messaging, event experience, digital presence, and content strategy were all developed with the same strategic rigour and creative ambition Firecracker brings to its highest-profile client work. ASBN events are crafted as brand experiences. The communications are consistent, purposeful, and built to engage.

This is a differentiator that goes to the heart of what ASBN is: a network conceived and built by people who have spent years creating impactful business and event experiences, and who brought every one of those skills to bear on building a brand new venture.

For members, this translates into something tangible: events worth attending, content worth reading, and a business community that feels as good as it performs.

Two businesses, one ecosystem

Firecracker and ASBN operate as separate businesses, but the relationship between them creates compounding value for everyone in the ecosystem.

ASBN members – ambitious, growth-minded businesses operating across Africa and the UK – have a trusted marketing partner already embedded in their community. When brand, marketing, or events challenges arise, Firecracker is available, with the credibility of shared membership and a demonstrable track record that speaks for itself.

ASBN enables Firecracker reach and relationships across 15 countries – opening doors to exactly the kind of international, purpose-led organisations the agency was built to serve.

Firecracker brings ASBN insight and creativity. Together, they offer something genuinely rare: a business network owned by business leaders, with a world-class agency ready to serve companies.

Progress starts with people

Fourteen years on from Firecracker’s launch, both businesses continue to grow, not by chasing scale for its own sake, but by deepening impact and customer delivery. For Nicola, Claire, Laura, and the teams behind both ventures, success has always meant the same thing: creating environments where people feel energised, valued, and inspired to do their best work.

As Firecracker’s own positioning puts it: “Progress starts with people.” That philosophy built one remarkable business. It turns out it was the recipe to build the second.

www.firecracker.pro

“Firecracker’s work has been instrumental in solidifying our position as Offshore Africa’s training leader. Their expertise generated impactful brand awareness. The new website and live event truly showcased our first-class offerings.”

Louise Concar
Chief Operating Officer
Offshore Africa Training Centre