While we acknowledge the 1-year anniversary of the Russian war on Ukraine, and pray for peace, there happens to be another anniversary to acknowledge today.

I’ll bet if you look at my Linkedin profile starting in early 2014, you won’t find another person with more companies employed for someone my age at the time in our industry. Which is why it’s a little surreal to be celebrating 9 years of our company today with all of you. From Felicia Hand more than 8.5 years ago to Chris Kuleszynski yesterday, I’ve been very lucky to call more than 250 people around the world Teammates. So here are 9 ways I’m counting my blessings after 9 years:

1. Our clients – we’ll likely sign our 600th client in our company’s history next month. No matter how big the deal, or how long the engagement, each new client, and renewal, means someone decided to put her or his trust in us. We obviously don’t make it 9 years without them, so best to start there.

2. Our values – the same 5 we started with are still in effect: Trust, Transparency, Hustle, Humility, and Humor. It’s great to see each of these in action every day.

3. Our partners – companies and people that we work with on behalf of our clients when we evaluate them for selection or optimization or pitch them from our Magnify team. We rely on having solid relationships with more than 1,000 companies around the world, and is part of how we have built and kept…

4. Our reputation – one of our most important assets, based on doing things well and the right way. We have been conflict-free since day 1, and I am proud we have kept that intact while keeping our work quality strong as key parts of our brand.

5. Our journalists – while running a company that has part of its mission to have our work indirectly and directly support the surviving and thriving of 3 little things: Journalism, Publishing, and Democracy, I also appreciate the journalists that cover our industry, allowing us to provide important perspective and making sure people and companies stay or get on the right side of our industry and history

6. Our independence – No company in our space has the global full-industry view with scale, like we do. And our ability to give our point-of-view, with conviction and experience is valued and needed more and more today.

7. Our ability to be in-person – anyone who knows me, especially in the last 3 years, knows how much better I and we do when we can be in-person sometimes. It’s partially why events & conferences are so important to our success for our clients and part of what makes us more effective, more efficient, and more human. So thanks to those who make the effort, wherever you are based, whenever you can.

8. Our families – my wonderful wife & daughter have given me the space, patience, and support to go through our highs and lows, and I love them dearly. Thanks to all your families as well for supporting you with us, whether it’s been for an hour or 8.5 years. And it’s neat when many teammates say our company is more like a family than most places they’ve worked (assuming that’s meant to be in a good way 😉

9. Our team – I’ve found it’s always better to accomplish great things with others, so it seems best to end this list with being grateful for all of you and all we have achieved and will achieve together.

Thank you, everyone, and Happy 9th!

Matt Prohaska

Prohaska Consulting, CEO & Principal