Reflecting on 2020: Guest Post by Jennifer Gray

Written by Market Street Talent | December 30, 2020

Another year is in the books for Market Street Talent! To mark the end of 2020, we asked our founder and President, Jennifer Gray, if she’d like to share a few thoughts with our blog followers to mark the occasion.
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It’s Been a Year

Writing the last blog of the year has become an annual tradition for me – and something that I look forward to doing every year. I carve out a few hours in the middle of a December weekend to slow down, pour a tall glass of wine and reflect on the past year. I usually write about some of the highlights of the year, things we accomplished and things I am thankful for – which are plentiful.  This year, however, was TOUGH.  Perhaps I should write about how things went all wrong this year instead? The list would be long.  But truthfully, that isn’t in me. I am an optimist by nature and my mind is pulled in the direction of what is good and right and true. And even in the midst of a great big mess of a year, there are still things and people that I am thankful for.

Our Clients: When we talk about our clients, we are talking about the companies and candidates we work with on a daily basis. Our mantra is that in everything we do, we strive to always work on behalf of our clients. This year was no different, but it was more challenging in many ways. 2020 ushered in the most uncertainty and fear that we have seen in our 12+ years of business. So, we paused, looked up and looked out, and remembered that our current clients are our most valuable clients. And they responded in kind. We worked with and for each other, we rooted for each other and our businesses, we hoped for the continued health of each other and our families. We called, we zoomed, we wrote, we kept close. And we are better today because of it.

The MST Team: We entered 2020 with a strong team and we ended 2020 with an even stronger team.  It’s interesting… going through hard times brings people closer together. And this year, more than ever, that truth was tested and tried and still stands. On March 1st, we moved into a new and bigger office space. Two weeks later, we all packed up our workstations and brought them home. Overnight – literally – we went from a 100% in-office work environment to a 100% remote work environment. And overnight the team adapted to the new-temporary-normal without skipping a beat. Open communication and daily connection grounded us. Staying positive and focusing on the opportunities in front of us became our guideposts. Showing up for each other and our stakeholders at the most basic, human “how are you, really?” level kept it real and gave us purpose. I am forever grateful for the MST team and our collective optimism, resilience, adaptability, and heart.

Community: Community has always been a core part of MST. In COVID times, our definition of community has changed and grown: it’s not just the people we see every day, but the people on our screens, the people in our networks, the people we haven’t seen in person for months, but can’t wait to hug again as soon as it is safe. Market Street Talent was grown in the strength of the tech community, and we have been proud to stand with you in these historic times. When we come out of this tunnel, we look forward to all being better… together.

I am so very thankful to leave 2020 behind and walk side by side with all of you into 2021, whatever it may bring. Have a safe holiday season and happy New Year!

Cheers!

~Jennifer

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