Finding the positives in a dismal year
Posted December 30, 2020
Everyone has a post-mortem on 2020, and so do I. It stunk. For Brightly Creative, the stench was less than for others, and we count ourselves as very fortunate compared to many of our friends and colleagues in the food and beverage industry.
But I don’t want to end the year on a sour note, so I’m going to be as positive as possible with this year-end post, mining the garbage of a year for some specks of gold. Let’s do this.
1. Our team is healthy and employed: Running a creative agency amid a global pandemic and civil unrest really puts your priorities in order. Instead of bottom lines and profit margins, the main concern this year was making sure our team was employed, healthy and mentally sound. I’m proud that we’re able to provide a flexible work environment, where people can take a break just because they’re at a breaking point, or, take the day off instead of plowing through work even though they are sick.
2. Our clients are amazing: They really are, and it’s one of the main reasons we love what we do. When the world shut down in March, we were worried that our budgets would as well. They didn’t, thanks to our clients’ trust in us to pivot and find new avenues and ways to reach their audiences.
3. We were able to put our money to work to help people out: As I stated earlier, Brightly Creative was fortunate this year compared to so many other small businesses. So, we did our best to help others that needed it, including donating money to the following worthy causes:
- Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling: An organization dedicated to funding education and career advancement for black, indigenous, and people of color in the brewing and distilling industries.
- Project Apis m.: A non-profit organization that funds and directs research to improve the health of honey bees.
- Holiday Giving: We ended the year on a high-note adopting families in need, buying presents for those that couldn’t and supporting organizations in our community that are helping people get through this long winter.
4. Alison got married! In a year that left little to be desired, one shining bright spot was Alison’s wedding. It was the perfect day for the perfect bride.
5. Our business philosophy is working: When we started Brightly Creative, we based our core business philosophies on staying small, flexible and only working with clients who’s goals we were passionate about. We also prioritized the quality of a person over their skill set when making hiring decisions. These philosophies were essential to our success this year.
I know things aren’t going to magically get better once the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. I know COVID will still be raging, systemic racism will still be prevalent and many of our favorite restaurants, bakeries and breweries will struggle to stay open.
I also know that we will persevere, or at least try our damndest. Regardless of what 2021 throws at us, Brightly Creative will do whatever we can to provide a happy, healthy work environment; to continue giving where we can; and to always create work for our clients.
See you in 2021.
Tags: 2021, Brightly Creative
CATEGORY: Brightly Creative
