LaunchSquad

Last Thursday, LaunchSquad won the 2009 PR Week Boutique Agency of the Year award, a major acknowledgment for our firm. Jesse, Jason T., Brett, Gavin and I attended the annual gala ceremony at Tavern on the Green in Manhattan, and I have to admit it was quite an exhilarating moment when our name was announced and we walked down the aisle and onto the stage to accept the award. We celebrated long into the night with the rest of our New York-based team and everyone at LaunchSquad immediately began Tweeting, Yammering and even doing some actual verbal shouting too.

It’s been almost exactly nine years since we opened our doors for business in a tiny, rectangular, window-less office on California Street. And what a fun, unpredictable, and just plain memorable ride it’s been.

The thing I’ve been thinking about since receiving this recognition is how much has gone into what makes LaunchSquad such a special little company. All those tough decisions, risks, uncertainties, celebrations, and of course, a fairly hearty amount of luck. It all got mixed together and somehow ended up creating something really good. How about that?

We’ve worked with about 100 companies during the past nine years; as we were heading to the ceremony, I asked Jesse, of all those clients, which one he’d choose to pretend we never worked with (admittedly a silly question to ask, especially at that moment). His response was perfect: none. They all mattered. They were all part of what makes us what we are today. We learned something from every one of them, and each had redeeming qualities.

I’d of course say the same thing about all the talented people that have worked at LaunchSquad over the years, and especially the amazing “squad” we have with us today. So many smart, inspiring, can-do people that have helped us build a unique and positive team and culture. LaunchSquad is no longer about four guys in a room and hasn’t been for a long time. It’s about a committed, passionate family of 35 folks having fun, doing great work, and making things happen every day.

It’s exciting to think about what’s coming up next for us and our clients. The world keeps changing – faster and faster – and we’re privileged to be along for the ride.