SBS Comms is Most Innovative
By John O’Brien, SBS Founder
Today, Fast Company released the annual Most Innovative Companies list for 2024. For years, we’ve celebrated this day because many of our clients have earned recognition on the list (and this year is no exception - huge congrats to Cloudflare, Ramp and Runway!). This year, however, feels different because SBS Comms has been named a Top 5 Most Innovative Company in the magazine’s first ever PR and Brand Strategies category.
I know what a comms pro is supposed to do now - say I’m “thrilled and excited” to be recognized in this way. I am, of course, both thrilled and excited, but “thankful” is a better word to describe how I feel today. The team we have built at SBS is unstoppable. I could not be more thankful for them.
We have broken all the rules and pushed back against traditional or conventional perceptions of what comms is supposed to look like now. No, journalism is not dead. No, content and integrated marketing is not as powerful as earned media. Yes, comms can be your number one sales or fundraising channel if done right.
I’m also extremely thankful for our awesome clients, past and present, and VC partners and friends that have helped us so much along the way. Some of the biggest brands in the world and over 100 of the coolest tech companies of the past decade have taken a chance on SBS over the past 7 years. Companies like American Express, Cloudflare, GitHub, Flexport, Lambda, Lightmatter, Ramp, Runway, AstroForge and dozens of others. Most of them have been recommended to us by former co-workers, comms leads at VCs, past and present clients and others. We have so much appreciation for our network and the people who have placed their trust in us, and we have worked tirelessly to deliver results that drive business value for our clients every single day. We aren’t stopping anytime soon.
On a personal note, the rearview mirror of SBS is filled with amazing stories and all the highs and lows that go with being a business owner - from the anxiety and weight of taking big risks, to the moments of success for our clients that make it all worth it. It’s been an amazing ride that’s taken us all over the world from major cities in the US and Europe, to the northernmost town in the Arctic.
The support along the way goes beyond just business. To the families of SBS, thank you for dealing with us on our most stressful days and being by our side always. We’ll continue to take risks, experiment and build new services, invest in our people, and change an industry. Thanks to everyone who has had a hand in SBS’s success. More to come!
