Campfire Collective’s 2023 Year in Review

If 2022 flew by, then 2023 zoomed by in lightning speed. What a year it’s been for Campfire Collective! When I shared my 2023 goals with the team at the beginning of the year, we were all a bit nervous. They were lofty goals, and I knew it. Yet, with our team’s drive and passion, I had faith that these goals were achievable. I am over-the-moon excited to report that we reached–and in some cases surpassed– our goals for 2023! Outside of our goal-setting, this year has been an incredibly rewarding and fun journey, too. Pop a bottle of champagne or kombucha with me, and let’s take a look back at Campfire Collective’s 2023. It’s time to celebrate!

Business Celebrations

First, as a business, I wanted to see growth in our client base. We work with so many incredible community-focused organizations, and my vision included expansion to support more in 2023. We did just that and more. The data shows that we exceeded our client goal by 67%. That’s good for our business, of course, but it also means that we now have a new group of friends to work with on a daily basis. Our love for our clients goes far beyond the work we do for them - we consider them all part of Campfire Collective. 
To support the work we do for our clients, our team grew as well! We ended 2022 with eight team members, and we’re ending 2023 with thirteen - including our first four full-time team members! Over the course of the year, we moved both Ariana and Mackenzie into full-time operations roles. We welcomed both Abby and Sophie to the team on an ongoing basis and quickly promoted both of them to full-time as well. We also excitedly brought on Gwen, Martha, and Kate in various roles, and we hired our first intern, Liv! 

Projects and Partnerships

This past year brought a new series of projects for us too. In January, we launched Carrying The Torch - our community service initiative. We then quickly got to work on the launch of our next project - the Just Bluffin’ podcast, which continues to grow in guests, listenership, and overall fun. We kicked off our ongoing collaboration with I Love Memphis, where we regularly contribute to the blog with topics about Memphis that get us fired up. (Just ask Abby about her Memphis Asian Restaurants blog.)
In addition to these, we started mentoring budding public relations professionals by bringing them into the work we do. We collaborate with the Whitehaven High School media team to produce content and help execute campaigns for Chuck Hutton Toyota. We partner with Meeman901, the student-run media agency at University of Memphis, to help us gather content for Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change. Another partnership with the University of Memphis Fogelman College of Business brings together students to write IT and MIS-themed blog pieces for ProTech Services Group. 

Speaking of partnerships, I was honored to be asked to by several organizations to speak at their conferences in 2023, including PRSSA’s ICON, TNCO’s annual conference, Junior League’s DevelopHER, and Tennessee Nonprofit Network’s MidSouth Nonprofit Conference. 

Campaign Work

While this celebration of new partnerships and collaborations is exciting, it’s the ongoing work we do with our clients that is rewarding day in and day out. We truly love the work we get to do and the people we get to do it with. Sometimes there are even fun events to attend for both work and play on behalf of our clients. 2023 client event highlights include (but certainly are not limited to) the Welcome to Memphis Pick Awards Party and Welcome to Your Future photoshoots, Commute Options Commute Challenge and Wrap Party, The Society of Entrepreneurs annual gala, DLC Memphis annual gala, GPAC season release party, The Grove outdoor events, Chuck Hutton Toyota Trunk or Treat, ProTech Services BBQ on the Green, Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis party, and Overton Square’s Crawfish Festival and Tree Lighting (not to mention their other 100 events). 

While all of this work is rewarding on its own, the awards we won this past year have made it extra special. I am personally honored to be inducted as a member of the Memphis Business Journal’s 2023 40 Under 40 class, and our whole team is thrilled to win a CityCURRENT SPARK Award for our Carrying The Torch initiative. We have to applaud our Wayfinder Ariana for her recognition as PRSA Memphis’s 2023 Rising PR Star too! 

Team Fun

As many know, we believe in working hard and playing hard too. While we dedicate ourselves to connecting our clients to their communities, we also intentionally take time to have fun with each other. This past year, we began weekly Wednesday kindling parties at Crosstown Concourse, where our Content Kindlers gather together for intentional time to work on social media posts for accounts. The camaraderie keeps us going! As a whole team, we have volunteered to cook meals for Church Health, fundraised and bowled for Junior Achievement of Memphis and the MidSouth, toured the National Civil Rights Museum on MLK Day, took over a suite at a Redbirds game, and painted campfires at Painting with a Twist. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention our monthly happy hours!

Next Steps

While all of this has been rewarding in its own ways, the 2023 moment that fills my soul the most was our two-day team retreat in September, when we gathered in a cabin at St. Columba Retreat Center with our friend and coach Brent Nair to discuss the future of Campfire Collective. We are growing and scaling as a business, and this means the systems we have been using for years no longer serve us or our future goals. In these two days, we defined our goals, values, and team charter. We brainstormed new systems and processes. I was able to see firsthand the vision that each of our team members has for our organization, and I was in awe of the passion and collaboration we collectively brought to this strategic plan.

Many of these brilliant ideas from our team will become new ways for us to operate starting in 2024. I can’t wait to see what this fresh start will bring, and I am thrilled to have each and every one of you along for the ride. 

With Gratitude, 

Shannon Briggs
Founder and Head Trailblazer