At eIMPACT 2019 Was A Year of Growth – In Multiple Ways

From new clients to new data strategies to organizational transformation

It may not be new year's eve yet but we're feeling a sense of reflection setting in here at eIMPACT.

We faced some new challenges this year, some welcomed and others the sort life throws, calling us to to respond and adapt. Though we had to stretch ourselves personally and professionally (and maybe other ways as well) it is clear that each challenge has left us much stronger, resilient and ultimately efficient, in the end.

We usually write about data and client case studies and the like, but this post we hope will give readers a better sense of who we are in this small but rapidly expanding organization.

We're grateful to have you here and hope you'll keep coming back.

Here's to another trip around the sun.

2019: Rapid Client Growth, New Data Strategies, Organizational Transformation

Client Growth

Measuring by revenue our business nearly doubled in 2019, but we aren't a company serving the single master of top-line growth. It's much more meaningful to think about the new clients we've collaborated with over the year as this is where the real impact occurs.

Admittedly our company has a difficult time saying no to new ideas and opportunities, so when a new client team enters our world something new comes out of every engagement. We are not a one-size-fits-all product. Everything is tailored to meet our client's vision, however clear or unclear at the start, of how they want their particular story told (through data, of course). From attracting workforce and residents, to forecasting economic outcomes, to recruiting grocers to a food desert, it's our client work that ultimately has the biggest impact on our company's evolution.

We now have a customer footprint covering half of the U.S., and the differences in geography, culture and economy in each place means we immerse ourselves in a different reality multiple times a day. It's a ton of fun. And a lot of different accents and vernacular. And the opportunity to cross-pollinate innovative ideas from one client over here, to another way over there.

New business technology enables us to do all of this without boarding plans, burning fossil fuels or increasing our operating costs. This lets us work and grow the company more efficiently, keep our price points as low as possible and do more with less. Something tells me this is the future of many sectors.

New Data Strategies

Ok, now some data geeky stuff :)

We've been combining different sources of data a lot more, with an increasing rate. One larger project we are completing with a state chamber contains more than 30 different sources. I've never grafted an apple tree but the analogy feels appropriate: the end result is not quite like either of its source components.

Combining different data, for example analyses drawing from employment and commercial real estate data, reveals new realities. How much growth is achievable? What changes to local policy and development protocols would be needed? Which industries will yield the best short- and long-term gains?

We've been using maps to greater effect. Not the typical GIS data layers, but creating a spatial view that quickly lets viewers ground in a clear picture of opportunity, infrastructure and even quality of life.

New visualizations have allowed us to put disparate data (especially benchmarks, range plots and trends) into one simple view. New research into the future of work, automation and the gig economy has let our clients engage policymakers in meaningful new conversations.

There's too much to list here. Please send us a message if you'd like to get an overview of eIMPACT and some relevant client examples.

Organizational Transformation

Earlier in the year eIMPACT became a brand new company, in structure at least. Once a subsidiary of a data engineering firm, our company is now setup for its next phase of growth as an indepedent entity.

We also added new key members of our team, including our new CFO, Michael Church, and our director of communications, Richard Pfister. We added an office in beautiful White Salmon, WA, just outside Portland.

But most importantly, we doubled down on our client-focused management framework, tightening the loop even further between client needs and rapid, agile product development. Every person on our team interacts with clients. There are no silos of roles, information or decisionmaking.

I'd like to end this post with a big thank you to Mike Reich, eIMPACT's founding CEO and product visionary. Mike gave the company all the DNA it needed to get a start in the world, he put his confidence in me to carry it forward and he continues to play the crucial role of chief tecnologist, all while working with some of the world's biggest organizations on their data strategy.

Here's to another trip around the sun.

If you'd like to discuss your data visions for 2020 and beyond, we'd love to hear from you.

Cheers,
Erik