In the span of nearly four and a half years, Richardson Media Group has seen an enormous amount of growth. Yet 2018 may have been our most expansive year to date!
The past 12 months have brought a series of opportunities requiring our team to adjust to some big changes. Like so many small business owners, I’ve had my share of sleepless nights and more than a few moments of self-doubt, but for the most part, I’ve found inspiration in all of the change, while recognizing there’s no other place I’d rather be and no other group of people with whom I’d rather spend my time. I’m so proud and appreciative of my team for their hard work, loyalty, and commitment to maintaining the highest standards. Throughout a busy year, I’ve watched us remain true to our core company attributes: commitment to excellence, accountability, trust, generosity of spirit, and mutual respect. Clearly we love what we do, and it shows!
I tip my hat to our incredible clients who’ve chosen to rely on us for our professional expertise, strategic guidance, and responsiveness. We’re honored to lead them through today’s ever-evolving and highly complex marketing universe and look forward to building upon these relationships in the future. Rounding out our capabilities, I must also acknowledge our talented agency partners, a collaborative and creative team of designers, web developers, and copywriters who help us bring visual and contextual interest and humanity to the advertising campaigns we construct. Here’s to all of you!
What follows is a recap of the past year and a few highlights from our company’s evolving story.
Winter Storms
Admittedly, last winter felt a bit more cold and blustery than usual. I found myself spending a great deal of mental energy unpacking why things seemed so shaky and trying to find meaning in the chaos. It was an exhausting effort but ultimately worth it. Uncertainty taught me volumes about the kind of leader I wanted to be, the type of company I wanted to run, and most importantly, about the kinds of folks we wanted to ally ourselves with both personally and professionally. Looking back from today’s vantage point, I realize that I may have ignored my gut on several important decisions. Certainly, instinct isn’t everything, but it should never be cast aside. Fortunately, the clouds eventually dissipated and we emerged from the storm intact and stronger than ever.
Spring Renewal
By early spring, we had successfully renewed many of our existing media contracts and our list of new business opportunities was growing. We noticed that our media campaigns performed more robustly when our clients’ websites were properly optimized for organic search, so we decided to add SEO to our firm’s list of service offerings. When our clients asked us to provide them with professional content and editing, we eagerly complied, ultimately building content into our repertoire. These significant service additions have dovetailed beautifully with our core media planning and buying efforts. We’re pleased to offer clients and prospects access to this smart combination of marketing-related disciplines under our agency umbrella.
Competitive Edge
Those closest to me know that I have a competitive spirit, especially when it comes to running my business. I’ve always reveled in “the pitch” with its accompanying adrenaline rush and the tension that builds before victory (or even the occasional defeat) is announced. I’m unapologetically wired this way, which usually serves me well, but occasionally gets me into some crazy situations. (I’m thinking about that Spartan Race I did with my son back in September…but I digress!) We’ve been honored to be invited into the room on some exciting new business pitches this year. Some went our way, others didn’t, but we have no regrets about getting involved in the process. Win or lose, one thing we all agree upon is the importance of leaving time for a post-pitch discussion. It’s amazing the nuggets of wisdom you gain from examining your own work through the lens of 20-20 hindsight.
Shingle Shift
August 2018 marked our company’s exciting relocation from Amesbury, MA, to a beautiful new shared location overlooking the tugboats in Portsmouth, NH. We celebrated with our office partners at a traditional Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting and a fun party back in October. This move is a great reminder that change is integral to the success of any business. A million thank you’s to my team for riding through this experience with such grace and enthusiasm.
Infinite Possibilities
2018 has shown us that ANYTHING is possible. It’s been a year of unexpected beginnings, pivotal decisions and plenty of good fortune, but none of it would have happened without an enormous amount of hard work. As I attempt to distill my abundance of gratitude into this tiny blog post I’ll close by expressing my appreciation to everyone who has contributed their time, energy, experience, compassion and at times sheer willpower to getting the job done. Four plus years into this incredible entrepreneurial journey, I am more energized and optimistic than ever about the future.
I look forward to crossing paths, sharing a cup or tipping a glass with many of you in 2019. Until then, from all of us at Richardson Media Group, here’s wishing you peace, good health, and success in the new year!
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