This blog was written by Joe Koufman, CEO and Founder of Setup.

Armed with 20+ years of marketing, business development, and management experience, Joe Koufman founded Setup to ignite relationships between marketing agencies and client-side marketers. His unique agency perspective – having worked at a small digital firm, an independent full-service marketing agency, and a massive holding company – is what inspired Joe to help marketers find agencies that are the perfect fit.

It is no suprise that 2020 was a tough year for many (global pandemic, racial injustice, divisive politics, and economic despair). While we at Setup had our share of difficulties, 2020 was a pivotal year that transformed our business from a regional to a national scope as the preeminent marketing matchmakers in the US. 

February 4th is an important anniversary for me personally, as it is the day that I incorporated what is now Setup in 2014. Looking back on the seven years since its inception, I am extremely proud of the growth we have achieved as a team. When I started the company, it was largely supported by my relationships with brands and agencies. Over time, the organization has become less reliant on my personal network and has become an established resource for marketers looking to connect with agencies and each other.

Read Related - Building a Purpose-Driven Company

I thought it might be nice to outline the top 10 achievements for Setup in 2020:

#1 - The Setup brand became established with a successful rebrand from AgencySparks at the end of 2019.

#2 - We worked with brands headquartered across the US and eleven countries as well as with agencies based in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and South Carolina.

#3 - Setup successfully expanded our service offerings. In 2020 we helped:

1. Connect agencies to potential clients

2. Brands conduct a full RFI/RFP process

3. An agency acquire another agency

4. Refer opportunities to partners and small agencies

5. Recruit and fill marketing positions for brands and agencies

#4 - We hired two new full-time employees (during the pandemic) - our COO and Executive Assistant - to help us strategize and focus on the most important areas of our business.

#5 - Setup invited key clients to join a new VIP program facilitating marketing leaders to connect and share with each other and Setup.

#6 - We implemented the ‘Great Game of Setup‘ - a program designed to disclose financial transparency to the Setup team that gives them an opportunity to benefit from the financial success of the company.

#7 - Setup transitioned from in-person events to digital events, often drawing 100+ marketers.

#8 - We moved into a new office that will someday enable the team to connect in-person in an inspiring and productive environment.

#9 - Setup formed new partnerships - including The A Pledge to ensure that Atlanta marketing agencies reflect the community in which they live and serve.

#10 - We created the CMO Spotlights series featuring interviews of top brand-side CMOs and marketing leaders, and we shared our own perspective on the importance of connecting marketers and how we help agencies grow as a guest on a bunch of podcasts.

CMO Spotlights

Interviews

Podcasts

In 2021, we believe that we can grow substantially by focusing on diversity to achieve greater reach and connect more marketers. That diversity will drive growth in our team, the types of clients and agencies we serve, our revenue, and opportunities. We hope you will be a part of our evolution and growth this year and for many to come.