Break out the Business Cards
Business events are back. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, after two years in a virtual vacuum, conferences are making a comeback. In a recent survey, 96% of meeting planners said they would do an in-person event this year.
In the old days (pre-COVID), conferences were a way of life in many industries. It was how business got done. During the pandemic, of course, that all came to a grinding halt.
Zoom saved the day and is now a permanent part of the landscape. But there’s never been a substitute for shaking someone’s hand or breaking bread in person, and there never will be.
Live events have always been a big part of Marcum’s culture. As a client or friend of the Firm, you have probably been invited to attend more than one Marcum industry summit, technical presentation, panel discussion or networking event. Pre-COVID, our event calendar was a busy season unto itself.
Like most companies, we successfully transitioned to all things virtual over the past two years. But now that things are finally loosening up, we are evaluating the possibilities for a combined live/virtual format. We are examining our lineup on a case-by-case basis to determine if and when it makes sense and is safe. We will keep you posted—you can also check our events page for the latest updates.
Of course, there are those for whom the digital pandemic environment was a blessing in disguise—not everyone is comfortable entering a room full of people they may not know. For them, the pandemic was a ready-made excuse to avoid even having to think about it.
But my guess is that even the introverts among us will be looking forward to opportunities to interact with live human beings in person in 2022.
Marcum actually invests considerable resources in teaching our people in the earlier stages of their careers how to network and how to be comfortable with it. The more often they get out there, the more opportunities they will be able to create for themselves in our entrepreneurial culture. You don’t have to be an elder statesman to successfully engage with others. In a service business like ours, it’s all about the people.
Speaking of which, our Black Associate Resource Group and others did a great job of programming during Black History Month, with a focus on supporting entrepreneurial Black-owned businesses in our communities. Kudos all around!
We eagerly anticipate seeing you—our clients and friends—in person in the near future. For now, I wish you a wonderful weekend.
Russian President Vladimir V. Putin declared war and ordered Russian troops into Ukraine on Wednesday. Wednesday night NY time Russian bombs and missiles were reportedly striking Ukrainian targets. As of this writing things are evolving on an hour-by-hour basis. Our thoughts and prayers are with all the innocent Ukrainians who now find themselves in harm’s way.
