What a year!
Wow, is all I can say… Throughout the year, I am be guilty of being “all business” and sometimes I might not show my gratitude enough for the people around me… Right now, I want to take a minute and say thank you to one of the things I am most grateful… Our YBV family, for the team we have had here at YBV over the years. Not only our current team, but also teammates of the past, who have helped us get to where we are today. I am very proud of our YBV team past and present… all of our teammates have been special in some amazing way.
We have come a long way from our early days of Miguel and Ishaan driving down on spring break to get this thing started. Now. almost 6 years later we are still going strong.
One of things I am personally most proud of is how members of our team have grown, both personally and professionally. Both inside and outside of YBV. I have always said that YBV is a training ground, not only a place to refine our trade in digital communications and marketing, but also a training ground of life.
YBV has allowed us all to learn about ourselves, learn about growing a business, to learn about other peoples business and it has allowed us to learn about each other.
To our past YBV teammates, thank you! Many of you have gone on to do more amazing things. Earlier this year one of our first STARS, Alan accepted a job at Oracle…and when I spoke to him just after he accepted, he said, “Bryan, I am sending emails to a minimum of 1 Million users….” I remember the confidence in his voice. Or Ishaan, one of the original social athletes who went on to get his MBA at Indiana State and run the schools internal digital marketing agency. It was absolutely amazing watching his confidence grow, seeing his love for people in all that he does through his Ishaan in America Facebook page or his Snaps. Then there is Sean, one of the best videographers I have ever worked with – a guy who helped us kickstart our video program a few years back and set the stage which sees us making more than 300 videos a year for our various clients. Watching the stuff he is producing now is astounding. Then of course Tré, who Sean introduced to us to ensure our video program continued to grow. Wow, thank you Tré for keeping things rocking. You not only continued what Sean started, you took us to another level! I am still watching the Dessert Lady throw down! There are many many more success stories just like this and again, I say thank you.
Thank you to our current team! You have all come a long way, absolutely incredibly grateful to all of you. I’ll start with Miguel, who has been here since the beginning, taking our business to another level year over year all while staying true to himself and his personal brand. I am so excited to watch Miguel 2.0 and 3.0 and 4.0… Love you Miguel. And Bryan, who now handles our video work, your hustle and determination to get things done is inspiring…I love what you do and how you do it…thank you for being our brand eye. Safia!!!! I remember when you came to me 9 months ago notifying me of your pregnancy, the fear I saw in your eyes of the uncertainty ahead. I remember telling you it was going to be great and that we will be together through it all and here we are! I am so happy for you – and can’t wait to you as a mother.
Thank you for taking such good care of our customers Steven H! My brother from another mother. I am so proud of you man, thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey! You are an inspiration to me and others whether you know it or not, keep doing what you are doing, I really think you are on to something. And, thank you for the sales “intensity,” this is something I have always loved about you; you are a great corporate athlete but a more amazing father. Ohhh and then Yasmin, one of the best writers I have ever worked with…you get it all done so well, the brands, the voices, the words flow so easy…your carefree love for life is inspiring and I love being around you. I don’t know if you realize this, but when I throw out ideas, I am always looking out of the corner of my eye for your approval. I respect your eye for what is right in this world. Kelsey, I am grateful for you because you are the first one in the office everyday. There is a saying that showing up is half the battle and when you walk in that door with consistency, you make me smile. Thank you for all your effort and I know 2017 has big plans for you.
2016 has been eventful… from producing more than 300 videos, to activating our local marketing strategy with the I LOVE Cocoa Beach and I Love Dr. Phillips concepts, to venturing into real estate with ilovedrphillipshomes.com and going Virtual with the development of the ExperienceVirtually.com brand – we are certainly on the move and no slow down is expected in 2017.
Thank you.
Bryan B