Making 2021 the Year of Growth and Opportunity
We made bold changes in 2020 to position Adept for continued growth. Now with a refined vision, we look forward to new opportunities in the year ahead.
Ginni Rometty, former chairman, president and CEO of IBM, once said, “Growth and comfort do not coexist,” and she should know. During her 40-year tenure at the global company, she made bold changes to reposition IBM for the future, acquiring 65 companies and reinventing more than 50 percent of IBM’s portfolio. Ginni learned early on that growth is essential to survival, and discomfort is proof of action.
As I transition into my 13th year as a business owner and leader of Adept Marketing, I can truly say that Ginni was definitely onto something. Adept was born from the belief that digital was the future of marketing and that it must deliver measurable business results. The industry needed disruption; therefore it was time to get uncomfortable. My business partner and co-founder, Justin Spring, and I got to work creating Adept — an agency without an established blueprint. Everything we did was brand new and not always successful. But we continued to grow, and we have the successes and scars to prove it.
Everyone experienced growth (definition = progressive development) to some degree in 2020 due to the pandemic. Adept, as a business, is no exception. Our unpredictable future encouraged us to make smart yet bold changes to ensure our immediate survival. It also positioned the agency for long-term, continued growth.
- Change 1: We re-evaluated our book of business to prioritize clients who could grow with Adept.
- Change 2: When agencies were cutting teams, we expanded our executive leadership team with experienced, connected and growth-minded achievers.
- Change 3: We took the first steps toward disrupting public relations with the launch of Upright, an agency focused on helping brands build trust.
Despite the many hurdles we had to overcome in 2020, Adept thrived.
Times of bold change, big decisions and global pandemics propel many of us to re-evaluate our goals, plans and futures. As Justin and I navigated the waters to Adept’s dry land, we also took the time to assess our goals for the future, both personally and professionally.
I am a leader who is eager to continue growing and developing Adept and Upright, guiding these organizations into the future. Justin is an entrepreneur and business developer who thrives in the creation phase. Therefore, as of January 2021, I have assumed Justin’s responsibilities and full ownership of Adept, allowing us both the freedom to grow. As CEO of Adept in 2021 and beyond, I cannot wait to watch the organizations thrive and prosper. And equally, I cannot wait to see what Justin does next as I know whatever he leads will be a massive success.
The year ahead is unpredictable yet bursting with opportunities if you have the grit to get uncomfortable. Ginni Rometty retired from IBM as Executive Chairman in December. I am going to bet she is pretty uncomfortable, and I think that is a great thing.
Check out the story in Columbus Business First to read more:
