John McNeil Studio

A challenge that creative entrepreneurs face, especially when seeking funding, is being “treated like a hobbyist” rather than a viable business owner.

But John McNeil, owner of John McNeil Studio in Berkeley, said his experiences with Community Bank of the Bay (CBB) have defied his expectations from the moment of his first interaction with them.

“I wasn’t necessarily looking for validation, or money, or anything at that point,” McNeil said. “But I was looking to talk to somebody about a thought I had, and I dare you to find a bank that would be willing to spend an hour or so talking to me about my thoughts. And that’s what I think is so special about Community Bank of the Bay. Because the experience that I had is really built into the culture there, and certainly built into Bill’s (William S. Keller, CBB CEO) leadership. CBB wants to know and understand your business.”

John McNeil Studio offers myriad branding, marketing, and creative services for business—including, but not limited to, 3D modeling, animation, videography, and photography.

McNeil said despite the differences in business models and industries, there are similarities between his approach and CBB’s approach.

“Oftentimes, it’s less like: ‘Here’s my proposal, what do you think?’ It’s more like the way that I work with my clients, which is: ‘Hey, I had a thought,’” McNeil said.

“[CBB’s] very interested in creative problems. I think they’re interested in people who have big, bright ideas, but maybe do not exactly know the route to take them. I think that’s another really special part about the partnership.”