So this week Bridge turned 4 years old.  In cat years that’s 28. In growth, it’s going from zero (zero clients, zero staff, zero revenue) to a fast-growing team posting 170% and 150% increases in revenue respectively for the last two financial years.  I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far, especially given the fact our journey has been entirely bootstrapped.  Having done this before (starting and growing an agency) I’ve been able to lean on personal experience to navigate some of the growing pains we’ve endured, however other ailments have needed the talent and nous of the Bridge team in order to overcome them.  If I’m honest, some challenges we’re still living with and living through.  There is no divine plan, far from it, I’d openly admit to having moments in the last 4 years where I’ve not had a scooby what to do.  Perversely this is kinda what I wanted. Bridge was never conceived to be a look-a-like agency, carved out of an industry template, but something unique, to operate in an area of B2B marketing and sales that was, at the time, pretty raw and untested.  It was an experiment.  A calculated one but still somewhere in ‘taking a punt’ territory.  

That initial punt has been traveling in the right direction so far and whilst it’s important to stop, reflect and humbly nod to those around you when you’ve met targets and milestones we’re by no means working ourselves into a back-slapping frenzy.  Far from it.  We all recognise there’s a long way to go for Bridge to realise its full potential.  

As I said, we’re 28 in cat years.  This number feels about right in terms of where we’re at.  We’ve been a newborn, we’ve looked around at the world through curious eyes, smiled at a bunch of people but not done a great deal other than sitting there and dirtying a few nappies.  As an excitable toddler, we found our feet and bounded around enthusiastically experimenting with anything and anyone who would pay us any attention.  During the infamous teens, we experienced growth spurts, explored our identity, and made some sh*te decisions in terms of what we did and said.  Critically we’ve learned from these mistakes and as we’ve gone through our 20s have started to become increasingly comfortable in our own skin.  We’ve still got a youthful fire in our bellies but with enough maturity now to channel it into the right areas.  In summary, we’re in a pretty good place.

As we've approached this 4-year milestone we've been naturally caught up in a bit of an introspective mindset and from this - we drew a significant conclusion - the Bridge brand no longer reflected who we are.  We felt we needed an identity that was a bit more grown-up, strategic and representative of our consultative approach to working with clients.  As enablement has grown and become an increasingly more strategic function so have the services we provide and the solutions we deliver.  Therefore the new brand embraces this and gives us a platform that will help us kick on well into our middle ages!

So (with a virtual glass held high in the air) I’d like to toast our brave and bold clients who’ve come with us on the journey so far.  Thank you for your backing us.  Of course huge thanks to the Bridge team, both past, and present, you’ve quite literally made us what we are today.