Moving sucks. 

Least that’s what you tell yourself as you begin to relocate your offices after 6 years.  The amount of “stuff” you accumulate as an event production company is pretty incredible, think storage wars on steroids. In the walk back to my desk as I was packing up I passed a stormtrooper, a box of stuffed animals, an assortment of wicker baskets, and signage from a network that I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist anymore. 

Then there’s the personal belongings. The ceramic plaque your kids made you on Father’s Day, or the picture from that family vacation you took almost 10 years ago (also reminds you to change the pictures of your kids more often). There’s NDA’s for clients that never materialized, and contracts with clients that changed the shape of your career.  There’s thank you notes from interns recognizing and appreciating the attention you showed them during their brief time in your office, and notes from colleagues that have moved on and took a moment to thank you for helping them get there. 

The more I think about it, moving doesn’t really suck, it’s perhaps the best opportunity to figuratively start something new. Each year (or if you’re like me, each week), you think about what you want to accomplish, both personally and professionally. Moving gives you the opportunity to throw away what’s not important, so you can make room for what is.  It’s a new place to get your coffee, a new view from the conference room, and for some of the team here, a new place to walk your dog when you (and your pet) could use some fresh air. 

Perhaps most importantly, moving can be a true sign of growth. Not every company makes it, and as a business owner perhaps I remind myself of that way more than I should. So personally, I’m beyond excited to be part of a company that’s growing both in terms of size and stature. Moving to a new space, with new furniture, and yes, even a new phone greeting (sorry Kevin), only further demonstrates the company’s strength and opportunity.  

We’re fortunate here at MAG that since the acquisition, we’ve seen many upgrades. A new IT system, cleaner policies and procedures around HR and Finance, and now a completely remodeled space that we can call home for at least the next 10 years.  We now have offices across the country, and soon internationally as well. Our client list has grown, along with our capabilities both here at MAG as well as across the entire group of companies under the BDSmktg umbrella. 

As I took the last picture off the wall I thought back when we started all of this almost 20 years ago. I could not have done it without the support of so many amazing clients, colleagues and partners. It was certainly a dream to one day sell to a larger organization that could help us grow in ways we couldn’t do on our own.  I’d like to think of our new office as a new beginning for MAG, where we will welcome new team members, new clients, new capabilities, and new excitement for all of us.