A Letter from the President & CEO
“ If there ' s one thing that ' s certain in business , it ' s uncertainty .” – Stephen Covey
When I spoke with members of our Board of Directors and our Accredited Businesses at the end of 2020 , nearly all were optimistic about 2021 . Did 2021 turn out as you imagined ? It didn ' t for me or most of the business owners I ' ve spoken with over the past few months . Despite some unexpected twists and turns , 2021 featured all the happenings that make a year memorable : weddings , funerals , retirements , travel , graduations , births , holiday celebrations and more . Yet , nothing felt certain until the moment it arrived .
It ' s my privilege as the leader of a thriving organization to provide both coaching and comfort , inspiration and instruction , passion and purpose . To do this over the past two years , I had to get comfortable with uncertainty and find ways to anchor my team as they weathered storms and questioned their futures . After earning my master ' s degree in 2020 , several members of our staff also chose to further their education and pursue new passions .
In May 2021 , Anthony Klotz , a professor at our own Texas A & M University , uttered three words during a television interview that reverberated throughout the coountry : The Great Resignation . People left jobs at a record pace . We saw it in our organization , and many of you also faced higher-than-normal turnover . We lost some great employees moving on to pursue passions , seek growth opportunities and even retirement . We also added some wonderful employees to our staff , and I ' m excited for what they can do for our Accredited Business customers in 2022 .
During 2021 , consumers demonstrated — in no uncertain terms — that BBB mattered , whether they wanted to avoid bad businesses or connect with better businesses . Research done by BrightLocal found that consumers trust reviews on BBB . org more than those found on any other review site . Though BBB Accreditation comes with a product that makes it easier than ever to ask for reviews , too many are not capitalizing on this value . Reviews are just part of managing your business ' s online reputation . Another key component is consistency . BBB Trust Monitors help Accredited Businesses identify opportunities to enhance their online reputation . Look for more about online reputation management in 2022 .
Thanks to each of you for being one of those better businesses that today ' s consumers seek . Your entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence inspires my team and me to keep seeking ways to help build better businesses .
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