It’s hard to believe it’s been 22 years since I started CS-Effect (formerly Communication Strategies Group). I’m so proud of our team, and what we continue to create. Over the last three years alone, we have experienced 60 percent growth and our client retention continues at an average of six years. Our client partnerships are what drive us and make us successful. We gain as much from them as they do from us.
It wasn’t planned. I’m what you might call an Accidental Entrepreneur. When the agency I worked for was acquired by an international firm, I found myself unexpectedly laid off. But then, a client asked me to continue managing their public relations, and that was my ‘a-ha!’ moment. I decided to give it a go and I haven’t looked back since.
Always Learning
Our clients have taken us on some wild (and educational) journeys — from tackling longhorned beetles to promoting school nutrition innovations, motorcoach travel, civic leadership, and even root canals. Working with international, national, regional, and local organizations means we’re always learning something new.
I’m incredibly proud to be a woman business owner, especially knowing that only 25% of small businesses make it past the 15-year mark. This year, as we celebrate our 23rd anniversary, I’m more excited than ever about the future.
Some of our favorite memories over the years include:
Launching The Confident Patient, authored by Beth Myers, CEO, and Wendy Benson, COO, of 2x2 Health, a healthcare concierge company. We developed a strategic campaign that secured media attention from Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, Becker’s Health, WGN, WLS, and other top outlets.
Successfully announcing the appointment of the new CEO for the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana.
Positioning Carolyn Hendrickson, CEO of Tandem Group, a strategic consulting agency, as a thought leader in the manufacturing industry by securing her an ongoing guest column in Industry Week.
Garnering extensive media coverage in Chicago for Myetie Hamilton, CEO of Leadership Greater Chicago, the first Black woman to lead the organization, including features on WLS-TV, Chicago Defender, and a cover story in Chicago Citizen during Black History Month.
Looking Ahead
Like many industries, communications has and will continue to face major disruptions with the advent of new technologies. How we communicate continues to evolve. It seems like yesterday when clients demanded to be on the front page of the WSJ. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and TikTok changed how we reach audiences in a much more personalized way. As AI weaves its way into communications, we are ready to evolve with this latest technology.
However, no matter how advanced technology becomes, there will always be a need for us to craft and share our own stories in the most authentic way. I am looking forward to continuing to build our talented team and diversify our client base and take CS-Effect to the next level.
We can’t wait to see what the next 20 years will look like!