The average business that reaches its Silver Anniversary might throw a party for its employees to mark the occasion. But in the case of longtime Tallahassee communications and marketing firm owner Karen Moore, she decided to celebrate by re-branding her entire operation.
Since those first wobbly days of running a one-person PR shop out of a Lake Ella cottage, Karen Moore said her firm has already beaten the odds.
“You know, they say that more than 50 percent of small businesses don’t make it through their first year. Less than 20 percent make it to 20 years. Our business is celebrating 25 years.”
And since the very beginning, Moore’s name has been part of the company’s title, most recently as “Moore Communication Group.” But Moore thought this anniversary landmark called for a change.
“I think that as customers see brands evolve, we needed to have our brand evolve to be the national integrated marketing firm that we are today.”
A brand, added Moore that simply and powerfully connects the firm’s past and future.
“Think of the power of simplicity. One word; ‘Moore!’ It projects boldness, clearly stands out and it’s what we see as a differentiator. We’re keeping everything that we have felt important and valued and we’ve nurtured over the past 25 years, but bringing that forward to be innovative and take the company to what I see as newer heights in the next 25 years.”
Moore saw that future building on an already impressive corporate scope and reach.
“Moore currently has offices in 3 time zones, clients across 10 time zones; we are a national agency of choice, but in the next 25 years, we are going to be the international agency of choice.”
Moore may have dropped the word “Group” from the corporate logo. But don’t be fooled by the fact the firm’s single word name and hers are now one and the same. She insisted the primary strength of her company will continue to be the unique teamwork and collaboration of her co-workers, no matter where they are.
“It’s one of our differentiators. We recruit and retain the best talent and when we bring them into the family, they need to know that they are going to be nurtured and supported and developed and grown up within the organization.”
Which is why, Moore insisted, her company’s employee retention rate hovers between 90 and 95 percent and why Florida Trend has named the firm a best-place-to-work 7 years in a row. With that kind of team, she expected she might even be able to take a few more days off now and then.
“I do expect to travel more and continue to do things with family and friends. But Moore is going to do even greater things as the years continue because we have that firm foundation of our talent, our culture, our belief that teamwork is essential to success and I think with that foundation as we move forward, the next generation of the leaders of Moore are going to do great work.”
That’s quite a journey from the little one-person PR shop in that Lake Ella cottage a quarter-century ago.
