Speaking at Confab 2015, ©Erik Westra.
This week marks an anniversary: 10 years ago this week I incorporated Appropriate, Inc. as a brand and content strategy consultancy, the nameplate practice under which I consult, teach, and speak. That 10 is a big number in the world of self-employment, and I’m grateful for the numbers within it. Grateful and exhausted — graxhausted, perhaps? — but so energized too.
66 clients.
19 workshops — encompassing about a thousand people.
8 guest lectures.
3 magazine articles, 2 graduate-level courses, 2 editions of BrandSort, and 1 book. And counting.
Of course, the numbers, like our deliverables, are a shorthand of the conversations that shape our industry, business, and life. They can’t tell the full story. Tying together the clients, students, and workshop attendees are generous favors, warm introductions, and thoughtful feedback. So, so much feedback.
I’ll save my personal thanks for the Twitter thread*, but suffice it to say I stand on the shoulders of giants: editors, mentors, and friends who offer feedback, grace, prompts, and pushing. Thank you to the visionary conference organizers who bring together our communities of practice — and the communities of content strategy, Women Talk Design, designing women, Boston social media, fellow speakers… your leadership, ethics, and example teaches me so much. Thank you for these 10 years. Fortune favors the bold, so on to the next 10!
This post was originally published on Medium on January 14, 2020.
* I lied. I’m capturing them here, too:
- Thank you, Kristina Halvorson, for encouraging my leaps, just as you’ve encouraged so many of us.
- Thank you @zeldman, @kristastevens, @kissane, and the magical @carywood, who brought my first industry article to life on @alistapart. Thank you @jhsilverman, who gives form to SO many of my ideas. Thank you @epublishmedia & Content Strategy New England for shaping those ideas.
- Thank you to @gemelket, @jeffmacintyre, @karenmcgrane, @cwodtke, @oliverlindberg, @DaveDBevans, @melissasharples, @mgrocki, @denisejacobs, @lrb23, @SwenBooks, @ahaval, @sara_ann_marie, @dlichaw, @kateo, @mulegirl for your broad shoulders, big wisdom, honesty, and kindness.
- Thank you to conference organizers who bring together our communities of practice—and communities of content strategy, @womentalkdesign, designing women, fellow speakers…I’m grateful for your leadership, ethics, and example. Here’s to these 10 years, and on to the next!
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