Last summer, I re-launched The Second Row with a focus on clients in the mental health and wellness space. Flash forward nine months… I’m thrilled to have worked on a range of projects over this time; from total rebrands (new name, website, logo), brand creation projects, innovative thought leadership campaigns, marketing strategy and brand audits and several PR and writing projects. While I am tremendously proud of all the work that we’ve done, some stuff has been happening organically over the last few months that has gotten me thinking…

Growing Connections via Enjoyable Collaborations

As many of you know, when you put out our own shingle and work for yourself, there are a lot of challenges to overcome but two big ones stand out for me. First, it’s really, really, lonely… it’s just you and your clients and that can be both grueling and disheartening, especially after surviving the challenges of COVID. While the re-launch of The Second Row was focused on the mental health and wellness space, I’ve been selectively working with some old friends on projects related to technology and professional services - folks with different skills and talents then my own, that I really like to work with. Partnering with other folks on these projects has allowed me to find the professional and sometimes personal support that are essential to doing this gig and doing it well.

The second major challenge of working for yourself is finding ways to stay current and curious, that driving need to continue to grow, learn new skills and ways of finding solutions. It’s very easy for me to rely on the skills that got me to this place in my career… but that can be a dangerous thing. Because marketing and communications is always evolving and morphing into something different, it’s almost impossible to stay on top of everything when you’re working by yourself. For me, the best way to stay current is by collaborating with other professionals, who are smarter than me, that both complement and enhance what I do well. They help me decipher what really makes an impact and what will resonate for our clients.

The Second Row in 2023 – Expanded Emphasis and Impact

One of those people that I’ve really enjoyed working over the last few months, is Max Shu Teasdale, who I met while working at an AMC (Association Management Company). Max is a top-notch marketing strategist and operations consultant, with a deep level of expertise in international and technology organizations, as well as industry associations.

Max and I have tackled a few projects together; some have touched on The Second Row’s mental health concentration, and others have come about via Max’s consultancy, Madmaxshu & Partners, focused on technology and associations, including an international organization focused on facilitating economic development, through legal reform, education and innovation.

In addition to working with Max, I’ve been collaborating with an awesome video production house, as well as one of the best SEO/SEM providers in the Northeast. All of these connections are helping me grow as a professional and stave off that loneliness that comes with being a solo act.

This is all to say that while I’m still working on building The Second Row’s client footprint in the mental health and wellness space, I also plan to expand on the work that I’ve been doing with Max and others in the technology and professional services. Should you, partner or client need marketing communications support, I am certain that between myself and my growing network, there is an expert to meet your organization’s specific needs. Drop me a line and let’s connect soon!

Cheers,

Matt