2009

Our Big Idea

We wanted to create a new kind of consulting firm that would treat reputation, leadership and advocacy as the highest manifestation of strategy – to help clients build competitive advantage in the marketplace of ideas. The timing of our launch – in the midst of the Great Recession – seems crazy in retrospect, but it worked in our favor. Clients were re-examining everything. Many were hungry for a new approach, one that focused on early stage thinking: framing problems, shaping narratives and building leadership platforms as an extension of business strategy. 

2010

 Building the Business

 At the end of our first year, we had three offices, six consultants and a small but growing list of clients (most are still with us today!). We were scrappy, creative and a bit audacious. We tried lots of new things – some worked, some didn’t. We also launched our monthly Notebook, which has been our best vehicle for staying in touch with all of you.

2011

Global Coalition on Aging

 The shift in global demographics toward an aging population is one of the most significant trends of our time. To help clients shape this conversation we launched the Global Coalition on Aging, which would unite some of the world’s biggest brands in banking, consumer product, technology and hospitality. Through it, we’ve been able to drive conversations about talent, productivity and new market opportunities. 

2012

 Leadership Communications

Leadership requires articulating a vision in a memorable and persuasive way. Yet the ability to organize complex ideas and share them in clear and compelling terms remains an undervalued and overlooked skill. We launched a formal practice that helps organizations and executives to communicate persuasively before any audience. We have worked with over 50 CEOs and led workshops for more than 1,000 senior leaders who want to stand out as innovative thinkers and strong communicators.

2013

Design & Visual Communications

Ideas often are best expressed visually. By 2013, we were ready to start building a creative capability in earnest. We learned by getting our hands dirty and over time we developed a network of world class design and creative talent. This marriage of strategy and ideas with visual expression has proven to be transformative. Today, our offering includes brand identity, digital platforms and creative content – which allows us to provide a widening range of solutions for clients, all geared toward bringing their ideas and strategies to life. 

2014

 Culture

 We’re in this to do work we love with people we love. With more people spread across more locations managing more kinds of work, culture inevitably becomes challenging to maintain. We worked hard to build habits that would allow us to scale our culture. We launched a selective Summer Associates program for young professionals that would soon attract nearly 1,000 applications a year. Each week the firm meets by videoconference. New hires are matched with a mentor and a peer who are based in different locations. Our annual offsite brings the entire firm together in locations like Aspen, Colorado, and Santa Monica, California. We’re deliberate about hiring people who want to be a part of this culture and who – by addition – will make it even stronger.

2015

Narratives

 After working with more than 100 clients in industries as diverse as technology, energy, travel, retail and finance, we noticed a common problem: many organizations did not know how to advance a compelling narrative that connects history and future, differentiation and impact. Narrative is a fuzzy concept; we set out to give it clear definition, structure and – importantly – a process for developing and implementing it. Today, developing narratives has become a foundational element of the positioning strategy we offer clients.

2016

 Analytics

Much of our work involves helping clients make sense of their complex landscape in order to develop better strategy. By 2016, we had launched a new capability that employed techniques of natural language processing, machine learning and data analytics to bring clarity to complex environments, helping clients predict what might come their way next and make better strategic decisions.

2017

Geneva Office

 A growing number of our clients have issues that cut across national boundaries, particularly in Europe. We opened our first international office in Geneva due to its status as a crossroads for multilateral organizations and the companies that interact with them. Today, our Geneva office is the locus of a growing body of work focusing on public health, labor and environmental issues.   

2018

 Our Alumni

A byproduct of hiring great people is eventually having a great network of alumni. We’re proud to have made a contribution to the careers of our people. Our alumni have gone on to great organizations like Disney, Nordstrom, BCG and Teva Pharmaceutical. Whether they continue to build their careers with us or choose a different path for personal growth, we’re better for it.   

2019

 What's Next?

In many ways, we’re just getting started. Our ambition hasn’t changed since the early days: We want to help clients shape the world around them, to build better narratives and lead with confidence. This is a big idea and we’re just scratching the surface. We’re grateful to everyone who has been a part of our journey and we look forward to many great years to come.