I recently received these words in an email from a prospective client:
“Everyone I have contacted in the Water Industry who has worked with you and your team has given you positive reviews. That is impressive in the marketing space.”
I can’t stop thinking about this unsolicited kindness; not only on how it reflects on our team but equally on the thoughtfulness of the people in the industry we serve. This is why we’re not like other agencies; because our clients are not like other clients! We’re a small team in a close-knit industry and what people say about us – whether they select us as their agency or not – really matters. I believe our values are well-aligned with the industry and our clients. In fact, this year we finalized the Bā vision and values to help guide us as we continue to grow:
Purpose
Our purpose is to contribute to the health of the planet by supporting the teams who protect, preserve and improve access to clean water.
Values
- We are passionate about people, planet and the water that connects us.
- We embrace individuals and lift others to fuel team success.
- We value precision and excellence over perfection because striving for perfection impedes progress and results.
Vision
Our vision is to be the premier water-focused marketing agency known for integrity, approachability and results for clients and a great place to work for our exceptional team.
We’ve created a 2025 plan and budget that is well aligned to help us live into these values. 2024 has been a terrific year with a lot of growth and achievements, as well as challenges and learnings. We’re taking what we’ve learned and applying it to a plan that is looking pretty exciting for our team and our clients. What does it look like?
Passion for water
2024 saw an uptick in our team’s conference attendance, learning opportunities, events and utility visits. Connecting in person has helped us advance our vision and we are committing to more events in 2025 to further deepen our engagement in the industry.
Lifting each other up
2024 presented an opportunity to partner closely with the non-profit Surge for Water. Shilpa and her team are a great fit for our WBE women-owned business and I’m honored to be a part of it. We also participated in sponsoring the Catalyst (un)conference; a local PA Water for People event; and the Jammin4Water event at WEFTEC and we have been an ongoing supporter of Charity:Water. Supporting communities in need of safe, clean water is a milestone for the agency and a personal dream realized. Expect to see more sponsorships and partnerships in 2025.
A great place to work
Finally, as we figure out our way through unprecedented growth, Bā must be a great place to work for our exceptionally talented team. This one sounds obvious and easy but it isn’t always. It can be hard to balance the needs of our clients, our people and the business itself to ensure a sustainable business model that will create good jobs beyond my time here.
As we learned in 2024, great people may not always be a great fit. Finding the right water marketing experts who can cross into agency life can be a challenge (if you’re that person, check out our latest job opening!). And, of course, this is deadline-driven work, excellence and precision are imperative; which can be stressful.
To demonstrate our commitment to team wellness, we’re adding some extra benefits in addition to our retirement savings plan and generous PTO. In 2025, we are adding a health insurance option, profit sharing/bonus plans for all employees, increased personal/professional development opportunities, time off for service work and a “fun” budget to help us stay connected in a remote work environment.
Yes, this installment of the blog has gone over the recommended length. If you’ve made it this far, thank you. Transparency is part of what drives us, and I want our clients and the industry to know what’s happening behind the scenes as we move together into the future.
If you’d like to know more about our values, our team or our services, I would love to hear from you! Please drop me an email or DM me on LinkedIn.
Wishing you a holiday season of peace and wellness.
Peace,
