It all started back in 2003…

…when Founding Partner Candice Warltier took a risk. Getting laid off from her employer after a company merge, she thought there had to be something better. If she was going to work as hard as she did for someone else, imagine the results she would get if she worked for herself. So Candice gathered a few colleagues together, picked up the phone and called (gasp! It was 2003, after all) a few client leads to get started. One Moose, several Beetles and an Italian Trade Commission later, and (the former) Communication Strategies Group was in business, as a company with senior level executives providing strategic communication services. (Obviously there’s more to this story – be sure to ask her about it when you meet her!)

Since then, a lot has changed. Our team grown, causing us to move from the ‘quaint’ office in the Gold Coast, down through various neighborhoods in Chicago. (We pause for a moment to remember our favorite sushi restaurants near each of those offices in the Gold Coast, Millennium Park, and the West Loop. You will always have a special place in our hearts.) Throughout each of these moves, we grew in our mindset as well. We expanded our service offerings, we opened the doors to new industries and redefined public relations much more broadly to accommodate client goals.

And we weren’t the only ones growing up – our clients were changing, too. They were no longer demanding to be on Oprah or in the WSJ. They were introduced to digital technology, and social media, using email and e-newsletters to reach their audiences in new ways. They wanted to be Liked and Shared. Videos and podcasts started grabbing attention. And they wanted to reach influencers. Lots and lots of influencers.

Over the last 15 years, one thing was clear: we wanted to cause an effect.

So, after 15 years, a new star is born. As CS-Effect reminds us of why we do what we do, it is also a promise to our clients and a compass for ourselves.