“Hi, my name is Chad. Do you have a couple minutes to talk? I'd like to tell you about my company, Red Circle...”

Have you heard me ask that of you before? Many of you reading this could say yes. Because there’s a good chance you've run into me at a trade show event, heard me speak at a conference seminar, or maybe just heard about my agency’s work.

Today, however, I'm only asking for a couple minutes, the amount of time needed to read this little blog post.

Because today, I’m reflecting on 20 years in the business. And today, I just want to say thank you. Thanks to all of you who’ve sat with me and talked about your business. Thanks to all of you who have hired Red Circle. Thanks for working with me and my team shoulder to shoulder, building up your casino business.

Thanks to the first person who gave me a chance (you know who you are). We’ve grown your business through the years, and I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished together.

Thanks to the marketing manager who went to bat for us and convinced senior management to give us a shot. We tripled your earnings, and proved our worth.

Thanks to the team who listened and tried something different, as far as your marketing communication. “Different” means “noticed,” and that campaign brought you lots of eyeballs, and lots of profit.

Thanks, even to those of you who shook my hand and said, “No thanks, not now,” because you didn’t close the door, and you can be sure I’ll come back around and ask again.

It’s been an amazing 20 years, and I feel like we’re just getting started. Today, just under 50 staff members sit in an office building the agency owns. We now have a database software product that makes it even easier to make smart, leverageable, unique decisions as it concerns your properties.

I can’t end this blog without thanking my family, especially my mom and dad, who provided the support necessary for me to establish Red Circle. Thanks to them, I was never afraid of failing. I knew my family would always be there to pick me up. That thanks extends to my sister, Swen, and the kids as well.

These last 20 years have been a crazy, sometimes tough, sometimes sweet, and always interesting ride. Thanks for your part in it.