2017: What a year!

It’s that time of year is when you start looking back to see what you have achieved, so we thought we’d take a moment to round up 2017 for InnerVisions ID…

As a team, we are growing. We now have more designers and a couple more web developers on board. Alex, our current Social Media Manager (a.k.a. Chief Whip – she loves bossing me around, and is rather good at it!) will be moving into a more client-facing business development/marketing role …so we spent half the year trying to find the right person to move into her Social Media role.

Our key learning? That attitude – i.e. a willingness to learn, take feedback, grow, muck-in, laugh, work together – outshines so-called “expertise” every time.

Only last week, we read this quote by Simon Sinek: “Weak companies hire the right experience to do the job. Strong companies hire the right person to join their team.” We were thrilled to realise we’d come to the same conclusion!

Our newest team-mate, Jade, will be starting in 2018, but oh, we went through a very steep learning curve in terms of recruitment processes this year!

However, in honing the values we wanted in the right person, we also dug deep to establish the values of our company. We want to run a business with trust, honesty, compassion and empathy at its core.

Coupled with a strong work ethic, high standards, humility, a learning mindset and a big sense of humour, our vision is to build a company with shorter working hours, true work/life balance and fair pay so people feel valued and have fun. (I personally hate the phrase ‘work/life balance’ as it implies your work isn’t part of your life, but what else to call it?! Life balance? Answers on a postcard..!).

Other exciting developments this year were getting helpful advice and help from both a business coach and a life coach…

Which lead to another key learning: if you’re struggling to break a cycle or can’t see the woods for the trees, a coach is a great way to get renewed focus and a leg-up to new heights. They helped drive the business forward – in terms of identifying key business sectors and even our founder Sapna getting published!

This was in a book called Fit For Purpose Leadership #2, and the co-authors can now all end 2017 by ticking ‘number one best-selling Amazon author’ off their bucket lists. Look out for the paperback version in January…

We are grateful for all the amazing clients we’ve had this year (apologies if you’re not all listed here). Antoinette Oglethorpe took her branding up another level with us and even got a compliment on the presentation we designed for her from the United Nations (we’ve asked her to put in a good word for our services…). Mark Bowden’s job was a definite highlight (we not only named his book, but who could forget the male model photoshoot for his brochure…?)

We also had fun working with Emily Macpherson of Find Peace of Mind, designing a quirky corporate identity for her independent financial planning services. We also produced the brochure for our first showbiz client, La La Music UK a.k.a. the former house band for Jonathan Ross, Four Poofs and a Piano! Last but not least we took on our first international client in Sari Van Poelje, who runs business training courses across the world.

We also had the pleasure of working with the powerhouse that is ex-officer Alexander Seery of Shifts to Success. After renaming his company within their first phone call and then developing the StS identity, Sapna was honoured to be asked to join the Shifts to Success team as Branding Mentor. The six StS mentors will help ex and serving police officers to enter a life of entrepreneurship. What an amazing opportunity to help people change their lives for the better.

Talking about changing lives, we also partnered up with CARE International this year, so working with us now also helps gain equality for women and girls across the world. Supporting one of the UN’s Global Goals, we firmly believe that if you empower and educate women, society as a whole benefits.

An amazing 2017 for InnerVisions ID – thank you to all those who have been a part of our journey. We wish you an amazing holiday season and hope you have an amazing (and beautifully designed!) 2018. 

If you want your new year to look more beautiful, do get in touch!