4 Reviews. That’s how many times I have shared the YoPro Know’s Year In Review in previous December blogs. It’s a mix of emotions as I look back each year and see what has changed.
In 2019, after a full year of working on the YoPro Know blog, we launched the site. In 2020, we launched our first product and podcast, and started monetizing the business. In 2021, we shifted that initial business model from young professionals as our main audience to companies looking to attract and retain young professional talent. This turned out to be the most pivotal year for us because we began collecting information from business leaders that have helped shape our current services today. 2022 brought more opportunities as I made the jump from a side hustle to a full-time business. People told me I would be amazed at how fast things moved once I took YoPro Know full time – and they were right. From July 2022 to December 2023, we’ve grown in ways I could not imagine when I started this business. In this blog post, I’m excited to share what we have accomplished this year that has not only impacted our clients and team members, but has also started to have larger impacts on our workforce as a whole.
In 2023, we:
- Surveyed 1,600 total YoPros for our reports
- 681 Meetings with Mentors and Friends that have helped YoPro along the way this year
- Released 23 podcast episodes (perfect for 2023, right!?)
- Delivered 22 Speaking Engagements in 7 States and 2500 Audience Members
- Supported 12 companies with their Strategy and Roadmaps
- Supported 10 retainer clients create and execute 4,000+ social media posts that achieved their goals of both attracting and retaining talent (with the help of a strong social media and brand strategy!)
- Grew our team to 7 amazing people
- Offered 4 free downloads for our audience
- Completed 1 Rebrand and Website Launch
Our work spanned across all industries this year. From our friends in the Accounting world to those in the Manufacturing, Constructing, and Engineering space, we were fortunate to work with amazing clients who continue to make our team better.
We worked with clients from teams of 8 to teams of 1,000 and have learned best practices to develop stronger strategies for clients based on their size and industry. Customization is one trait we plan to never lose as we work with clients who undoubtedly need their own unique plans when it comes to developing young professional talent.
I learned a lot as a business owner this year and while I am not going to share everything, here are a few major highlights that I feel are relevant to mention:
- Our research and data from young professionals is what makes us unique. We will always have a foundation of these stories and interviews because it is what gives our brand credibility and an advantage where our strategy is concerned.
- Speaking transformed our brand this year. By spreading our message to 7 different states and beyond, we have grown our subscriber and social media channels by 50%, which has helped achieve our goals of making an impact on the workforce development efforts taking place in our workplaces today.
- Growing and managing a team is a lot work. I’ll say it again and again: having the right team matters. Allowing myself to go through some of the growing pains and challenges that my clients feel when it comes to attracting and retaining young professionals is what makes us better in the long run for our clients. I will continue to be transparent about that.
How does all of this help our clients? With each company we support or association we speak to (which typically has several different companies represented), we’re spreading the message that A) Young professionals can bring value to the table; if they aren’t, maybe they are not being engaged; B) When intergenerational communication is embraced at work, benefits will follow; C) How generations view what matters most to them at work might not look too different, but how they define it (example: culture or communication) is what makes it challenging. Understanding these differences is what will set your culture a part; D) and more!
“When we prepare for the next generation of leaders, we don’t just help our companies become successful. We help our entire workforce.”
We’re spreading this message one company or organization at a time and welcome everyone to join us in this mission.
It’s exciting as a business owner to look back at an idea I had when I was 21 years old and see how it has evolved since then. Not to mention, how it has transformed jobs, companies, and my own life. In my annual reviews, I often share where we are heading, and while I am very open about the next phase of YoPro Know, for today’s purpose, I’m just here to say this:
I’m taking it all in and am present with where we are right now. 2024 will be an even bigger year, but for now, I’m trying to soak everything in from 2023, as it was the most challenging – yet rewarding – year of the business.
Thank you for following YPK and believing in me. Without you, we would not be here.
As a thank you for being part of our audience this year, here’s a free quiz to wrap up the year: Learn where your Intergenerational Communication at work ranks in our Free Holiday Quiz.
What’s Next?
For innovative organizations seeking to hire, engage and retain YoPros, our consulting and coaching arm will partner with you to create a captivating culture where prime candidates thrive long term. To learn more about how our services can help you uncover the power of social media in recruiting and retaining young professional talent, schedule a discovery call today!
