As we reflect on 2024, we’re filled with gratitude for a year that tested our industry’s adaptability and creativity. Despite a shifting marketing landscape, economic ping pong, job reductions and the uncertainties of an election year, we embraced change and emerged stronger—celebrating new partnerships, deepened relationships, and milestones that set the stage for an even brighter 2025.
1. Thankful for Our Clients
Our clients inspire us every day. At Escalate, our goal has always been to serve as an extension of our clients’ internal teams. In 2024, we were fortunate to strengthen relationships with our existing client base and welcome a handful of new clients to our roster. These partnerships brought more opportunities for creativity, meaningful results, and—most importantly—fun.
One standout moment came from SVP Greg Vitarelli and our client Allbridge. Earlier this year, Greg shared a blog post, “Invite Your PR Team to the Next Company Event – You’ll Be Glad You Did,” inspired by his experience attending the annual Allbridge sales kickoff. A simple conversation with their CEO during that event sparked an idea that evolved into a year-long campaign. It’s a testament to the power of relationships, and we can’t wait to see what’s possible as we continue to grow together.
2. Thankful for Our Team
Our team is the most important element of our PR firm—and for good reason. At Escalate, we set out to challenge traditional agency norms by stripping away the “fat” (junior-level teams, antiquated processes, and secrecy around assets) and replacing them with a full-stack team of senior pros who provide full transparency. Our people are different: they dive into the nitty-gritty, they are “doers,” not “yes” people, and they consistently push boundaries to drive impactful results.
This year, our team proved once again why this approach sets us apart – lean, agile, and powered by professionals who excel at both strategy and execution.
We’re especially grateful for the new faces who joined us in 2024. Laura Collins-Rodriguez has been a fantastic addition, bringing her expertise to our enterprise tech clients. Her work led to standout wins like securing Chronosphere’s feature in CX Scoop and IDC in The Wall Street Journal.
We also officially welcomed Casey Finestone as Marketing Manager. Casey has been with us behind the scenes for two years, but stepping into this new role, she’s hit the ground running, driving Escalate’s marketing efforts with vision and passion.
These talented professionals—and the rest of our incredible team—continue to push boundaries, delivering results that prove the value of our unique model.
3. Thankful for Our Community
Our community has played a vital role in our journey. In Escalate’s early years, word-of-mouth referrals were the foundation of our growth. That support meant everything to us and helped turn our vision into reality.
As we’ve grown, our community has expanded right alongside us. LinkedIn is a go to source for business professionals, but sometimes it’s the old school phone call, text or email that keeps us connected. We’re thankful for our partners at Aliste Marketing, Buttered Toast, Aria Marketing and The Gresham Group for their support on client programs and for sending over new leads that are looking for a trusted PR partner.
And speaking of LinkedIn, our team was busy sharing some of their thoughts and insights over the past year and we saw a record year for engagement there. Our top three LinkedIn posts of the year featured:
- Highlights from our Escalate company on-site/off-site
- DroneUp’s at SXSW & Highlight Video
- Strategies for increasing sales at conferences with PR
Every interaction—whether a like, comment, or share—has helped us connect with new audiences and showcase our work. We’re excited to keep building and growing together in 2025!
4. Thankful for Our Culture
From the beginning, Escalate was designed to challenge the traditional PR agency model. A big part of that is our commitment to work-life balance—a rarity in PR but something we’ve mastered.
This culture has allowed team members to thrive both professionally and personally. Whether it’s moving down the street, moving across the world, starting a family, or simply enjoying life, we’ve created an environment where work and home don’t compete. As Joel Richman, Founder and CEO of Escalate, puts it: “We’ve created an environment where our team can bring their full selves to every interaction.”
A healthy, fulfilled team creates outstanding results, and we’re proud of the culture we’ve built to make that possible.
5. Thankful to Be Escalate
Finally, we’re thankful for the vision and leadership of our founders, Joel Richman and Jason Ouellette. Their bold decision to reimagine what a PR agency could be has brought us to this point.
As we look ahead to 2025, we’re filled with excitement and gratitude. Thank you to our clients, team, partners and wider community for being part of this incredible journey. Here’s to another year of growth, connection, and success—together.
