What’s the most relevant business and/or creative lesson you learned in 2020 and how will you apply it to 2021?
2020 was an awakening, but as they say, change is the only constant. With that being said, I feel we all, and by this I mean the world, learned more than we perhaps anticipated this past year. In terms of our company, we had several big takeaways – strong leadership is crucial, flexing one’s resilience muscle should not be overlooked, and personal and professional growth is central to success.
We had to become more agile, creative, and inventive in order to successfully lead our company and staff through the never ending uncertainty of a pandemic, a racial/social awakening, and a political evolution. There was no choice but to unify — not only as a company, but as an industry as well.
Confronted with the unknown, we considered how to not only survive but what it would mean to thrive as a company and individuals. Watching everyone band together to get us through this time was moving to say the least. Every single person demonstrated resolute determination to conquer the challenges 2020 brought, going above and beyond in their personal and professional lives. We were blessed to participate in some great creative campaigns, and our clients trusted us to guide their projects through overwhelming times.
Gratitude is what we will bring into the New Year. I have no doubt we will continue to walk, maybe even full sprint, into 2021 with this mindset.
How will the events of 2020–from the pandemic to the call for social and racial justice–impact the content you create and/or the way you work?
The pandemic forced us to get out of our comfort zones and try new ways of working, living, and staying connected as a business and as people. When the pandemic hit we quickly reshaped our company structure and workflow to create a seamless transition into the new WFH model, and kept a focus on finding ways to feel like we were together in spirit with our clients and staff. We strove to be transparent beyond our company walls. We addressed tough issues. We had hard conversations and really dug into the ways we as a company can be impactful now and into the future. In order to change and grow, we must not forget we need each other.
Competitors have come together and helped each other navigate what has for now become the new normal and I have got to say, it’s been inspiring and motivating. We candidly shared with each other what worked and what didn’t, to collectively get through as best possible. We weren’t competitors, we were colleagues. We are all moving through this time together. As I mentioned above, we must learn to adapt…and turns out we are all quite good at it.
What’s your New Year’s resolution, creatively speaking or from a business standpoint, for your agency, department or company?
2020 was an extreme reminder about the importance of understanding company culture and values. We knew we had to get clear on what really matters to us as a company and how we want to show up in 2021. Inspiring through creativity, for one. Last year was all about the incremental wins. We were constantly reminded to never forget that even the smallest accomplishments are worth celebrating. 2021 and beyond, we must always remember we are strong and mountains move when we help each other. And perhaps most importantly, we have learned that finding unity during a very divisive time is the ultimate form of growth. I really do hope the unification of our industry carries through in 2021.
