What a fantastic year! Before someone spikes the eggnog and our memory gets fuzzy, let’s recap the year that was here at STAT.
By all accounts, 2015 was our biggest year yet. And there are already plenty of signs that 2016 will be even bigger.
It’s true, we worked hard to launch a lot of new features and keep our data collection running tickety-boo. And, of course, Google kept all of us on our toes.
But there’s a lot more going on around here to give us the giddy feels — you know, sort of like a kid before Christmas. We thought you’d like to know what’s got us so worked up.
New friends and faces
Over the course of the year, we’ve welcomed lots of new faces to the STAT team. In fact, we’ve almost doubled in size.
Jana was the first of our new hires in 2015, and as office administrator, she’s been keeping us organized and running like clockwork. (That is, when she’s not zip-lining through Central America.)
Our product and dev team grew with the addition of three new software developers — Hang, Michael, and Xavier — while Andrew (along with his plastic goat, Gonchy) joined us as our client solutions engineer, and Andrea as our new product manager.
On the client-facing front, we welcomed a brand-new Canadian, Daman, as client success coach to optimize your STAT experience.
Last but not least, Tim and Kellie round out our writing squad. They’ll be crafting all of our words and blog posts, like the one you’re reading right now.
All of this growth will accelerate in 2016. Case in point, look at all the jobs we’re trying to fill!
Uh, we might even have to consider hiring someone in HR.
Fun times and funny hats
Look at all of the questionable stuff we put on our heads.
New digs and spaces
With new people joining, we’re quickly outgrowing our current HQ.
While we were tempted to install bunk desks, instead we decided to sign a new lease on office life and move over to sunny Railtown in spring 2016.
Right now, our new building is an empty shell, but in a few months, it will be a kickass place we’ll be proud to call home. That includes a new events space, where we’ll host a bevy of community dos and SEO gatherings — like SEOyvr, our quarterly meet-up of SEO experts in Vancouver.
No place like (future) home
Here’s the before. Wait until you see the after!
Sharing is caring
As a small but scrappy bunch, we’ve been very fortunate. So we want make sure we share that good fortune with others in our communities.
That’s why, in September, we started a yearlong charity-of-the-month initiative. STAT folks are invited to submit a list of three charities to put into a hat for a monthly draw. We pick one, it gets a cash donation, and we get the warm and fuzzies knowing that we’ve made a wee bit of a difference.
Here are the ones we’ve supported so far:
- September: Canadian Red Cross, mobilizing disaster relief and emergency response efforts around the world.
- October: A Loving Spoonful, a Vancouver-area group providing meals to people living with HIV/AIDS.
- November: Dana’s Fund, in support of a scholarship memorializing the late SEO expert, Dana Lookadoo.
- December: Lookout Emergency Aid Society, providing shelter and support services to low- or no-income adults in our community.
Of course, our team is naturally generous, so to support and encourage that spirit, we’ve created a matching program for donations made by individuals. Every dollar donated by our crew is matched by the company — no magic hat required.
We’re truly grateful for what we have, and so much of that is thanks to you. Our clients, friends, and colleagues in the SEO community inspire us year-round, and so we lift our glasses to you! A huge cheers for making 2015 the best year yet for STAT.
Oh yes, and a friendly reminder — the STAT elves are taking some time off during the holidays starting end of day Friday, December 18. But don’t fret! We’ll be available online throughout the holidays and then back at it full swing on Monday, January 4.
Enjoy your holidays and have an amazing year in 2016!
