To start things off, we'd like to say thank you to those of you who made 2021 everything it was. Our team believes in one another and the impact of thought leadership through speaking and events, but it’s an even more incredible feeling knowing our clients also value the work we do and believe in us too. 2021 was full of many wins, fighting hardships, and more emerging trends for the event industry. Here’s some of our top highlights:

1. We secured over 500 speaking opportunities for clients. This further solidified our stake in connecting more speakers to events than any other agency in the world. 

2. Our events team managed almost 50 events. We managed events of all sizes, shapes, and formats around the globe with a small, but mighty team of six. Many of those still working from home, but some were back in action in-person. We also worked on different types of events, from SKOs to customer retreats to VIP entertainment, and are excited to continue expanding in these areas in 2022.

3. In-person events returned. After 18 months at home, it really happened! It was everything we remember and more. If you’re contemplating bringing your live event back in 2022, check out some of our tips on how to host and attend in-person events safely. Know we’ve also missed the networking opportunities in person, something anyone has yet to successfully replicate online.

4. We launched our first ‘Speaking 101’ series to encourage clients to expand their thought leadership beyond speaking with topics like, ‘How to highlight your Social Media experience’ and ‘What to include on your speaker website’. We’re excited to expand more into these services in 2022, so watch this space. 

5. We increased DE&I efforts for our clients and the industry. 

• We helped facilitate our first DE&I-focused event. Thankful for clients like Lightspeed Venture Partners who share this same passion. It was an honor to work on this initiative together. Further, we continue to honor and celebrate diversity and play our role in the industry. Of all events our team managed, we achieved 41% women & 39% BIPOC representation across all speakers managed. 

6. We also invested in education around DE&I for ourselves. With people being our biggest asset, we made several enhancements to our recruitment process and undertook DE&I training as a team to ensure we’re committed to being an equal opportunity employer.

7. We got really creative with community service and philanthropy. Our credService team did a great job thinking outside the box after we could no longer volunteer our time at our favorite local shelters like years past. As a group, we are incredibly passionate about continuing social good and are hoping to work on a pro bono client in 2022; inquire within.

8. Our referral rates tripled. After being 100% outbound at the end of 2020, we’re incredibly thankful for all our wonderful clients (past and present), our partners, and our network for trusting and supporting us. Keep it coming! 

9. We came together as a group for the first time in 21 months. We were able to successfully bring everyone together in person at credHQ a few weeks ago for our annual team offsite. Two days of brainstorming, problem-solving, motivational speakers, and a ton of energy and collaboration. 

10. Our team grew 50% (and we’re hiring!). After a challenging 2020 with so much uncertainty, 2021 felt impossible to plan for. We not only restored our team numbers, but surpassed them, and we’ll be the largest team in our history in 2022.

We look forward to seeing you again in 2022!