In 2020, we identified three trends that would define 2021 including:

Technology Will Continue to Bring Us Together … “Aside from the cost-saving factors of virtual events, an agenda that doesn’t require participants to leave their homes brings an opportunity to effectively reach a larger audience.” 

Always Be Ready to Adapt … “The world is constantly shifting, and with new information and innovation driving us into 2021, organizations must ensure their strategies include change management best-practices to respond, adapt, and continue supporting the military-connected community.” 

Empathy is a Powerful Tool for Your Business … “The year has served as a great reminder that everyone you encounter is working through something. You, as well as your employees, coworkers, and clients, are going to face times of hardship that require patience from those we work with.” 

Did these trends define 2021? We believe so and here’s why… 

Technology continued to bring us together as we maintained working from home. In 2021, Evocati and our clients participated in more events or interviews virtually than in-person. 

We faced our greatest adaptive leadership challenge when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in late August. Overnight, our clients’ services and marketing needs experienced a seismic shift—we went from planning for Veterans Day to helping Afghan refugees flee their homes and raising funds to support them.  

Finally, and frustratingly, we continued to work through the COVID-19 pandemic to include the emergence of the more transmissible Omicron variant. Our team also welcomed two new additions to their families. The only way we’ve been able to succeed is through radical empathy in understanding and responding to these new commitments and hardships. 

In 2021, we welcomed new clients including Fayetteville State University, Soldiers’ Angels, and Zoom Communications, Inc. We saw Washington, D.C. emerge as a national hub for military-connected entrepreneurs thanks to Bunker Labs and WeWork. We added new research around attracting military-connected students to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We featured how companies can market to women veterans. We recognized “the quiet ones,” the civilian leaders who serve our community. We added new team members and said goodbye to others. Finally, we placed Evocati at the forefront supporting the Afghan refugee community. None of this would’ve been possible without the continued support you and our clients provide. 

As we look towards 2022, we see one major inflection point that will dominate the year: America will enter the post post-9/11 era of military service. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have ended. In September, we recognized the 20th anniversary of the terror attacks on 9/11/01. In December, Congress authorized the Global War on Terror Memorial to be built on the National Mall. These signal the end of an era and the start of a new one. What will that look like? What are the systemic issues that need to be addressed in our community? What are the long term mental and healthcare needs for this generation of veterans? Finally, how can clients navigate this new era?

We don’t have those answers yet, but we’re excited by the prospect of helping our clients discover them. Thank you for your support in 2021 and best wishes as we welcome 2022!

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