Every 365 days or so, people like to reflect on the previous year and extract lessons. From news stories to top 10 lists, it seems late December and early January is a time of reflection and pointing out all that has changed in the past 12 months. And there’s plenty of change to reflect upon since, after all, change is the only certainty in life — well, that and death and taxes. However, while it’s easy to reflect on worldly events, sometimes our own lives take on a more nuanced progression.

The Right Scale to Measure Change

It’s easy to forget just how much we’ve progressed if we don’t use the right timescales. Most people I talk to, blogs I read, and shows I watch like to analyze the past year, but that’s not always a long enough measuring stick. Just as analyzing one day’s worth of stock market ups and downs is not the best method for making smart investments, so, too, is gauging growth by only the most recent events in one’s life somewhat limiting compared to the big picture. Instead, I prefer to look back further to truly understand just how much has changed and on what trajectory.

Five years ago, the nation was in the middle of a dire recession, but out of those challenging economic times came new opportunities. Words by a Pro is a product of that recession. Born out of a combination of necessity and hope, Words by a Pro has gone through much evolution. Since we’re still somewhat new, only 4 years old, we’re agile, and thus we’ve experienced many changes. When you’re in the thick of things at an “established-up” business, as I like to call us, sometimes it may seem like we’re surrounded by just a bunch of turbulence. For us, looking back beyond just the past year is vital to understanding if progress has been made.

What Really Makes Words by a Pro Succeed

When I look at the past two or three years, I see the true trends emerging — not just in terms of the company’s financial health, but in the quality of our work and the company culture that’s evolved within our virtual walls. This culture is the result of an incredible team, and I cannot stress how proud I am to be a part of it. From Maarit’s amazing understanding of her clients’ desired voice, to Liz’s uncanny ability to adapt to any topic thrown at her. There’s Holly’s wit and humor, which can turn drab topics into “bookmarkable” articles, and Morris’ gift of making the complex seem intuitive, not to mention Tammy-Jade Vasquez’s talent for whipping up compelling graphics to complement our blog posts. And while we’ve had the pleasure of adding new colleagues to the team, sadly, we’ve also had to say goodbye to some of our WBP family, such as Stephanie, who brought infectious optimism and cheer, and Katie, who was unmatched in her professionalism.

Why the Future Is Bright

I can’t tell you with certainty what 2015 will bring. One always strives for the best, and I’m eager to see if the plans we set in motion in the past few months will help us continue our four-year growing streak. But what I can be sure of is that I couldn’t have asked for a better team with whom to make this voyage into 2015. With such a talented, capable, and hard-working crew standing by my side, I know there’s no challenge too great, and no opportunity too elusive.

Marek Biernacinski
CEO, Words by a Pro