Written by: Shannon Briggs

Is it just me, or has this year flown by? While 2020 and 2021 dragged on, the year 2022 seemed to pick up speed. Thanks to vaccines and boosters, pandemic restrictions didn’t affect our gatherings as much this year. The extrovert in me was thrilled by this and tried to make up for lost time. I flooded my calendar with activities, which made each day, week, and month pass by that much quicker. 

My appreciation for a year full of fun events coincides with my gratitude for an incredible first year as Campfire Collective.

When we launched this brand in March, I had ideas of how I wanted to use it. What we have achieved as a collective in just 10 months exceeded my expectations by far. 

First, we’ve had the opportunity to take on more projects with fun, passionate clients, and we have additional exciting projects on the horizon. I am grateful for the work we get to do for these community-based businesses each and every day. It’s truly an honor to continue to uplift communities through their non-profit and small business sectors.

Because of our amazing client base, our team grew from five to eight in 2022. When I first decided to expand my brand, Storyteller Gaye and Content Kindler Elizabeth were already on board. We welcomed Content Kindlers Cecilia and Mackenzie before the official launch, and Sarah joined us as our projects grew. This month, we are excited to add yet another Content Kindler, Brianna, who is fitting in so well with our warm and friendly team approach. Ariana came on board as our Team Wayfnder, and in 2023 her role will expand to full time as she takes on Project Management and Public Relations. Each person on the team has played a crucial role in our success! I have the best team.

As a team, we are especially grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received from our community and industry peers. I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people this year through the work we do: colleagues, clients, and more. Many of these I now call friends, and they inspire and encourage me on a regular basis.

We are proud of the work we’ve done, and ultimately what matters most is client satisfaction and community impact. However, we’ve been blown away by the recognition we’ve received in our first year. In September, we were a finalist for Best Creative Agency in Memphis Flyer’s Best of Memphis poll. In November, we were recognized at the PRSA Memphis VOX Awards with fifteen awards total, including Best in Show. I was humbled by my PRSA Executive of the Year Award, which was very unexpected.

I couldn’t have asked for a better first year for Campfire Collective. With 2022 in the books, we are looking ahead to big things in 2023. I can’t wait to tell you more and see what surprises next year brings!