When Brenda Haines and Heidi Strand launched their boutique marketing agency Blue Door Consulting 20 years ago, printed collateral like brochures made up a large part of their work. Oh, how times have changed. In the past two decades, the sophistication of technology has increased exponentially, and Blue Door Consulting has kept pace as the company has increased in both size and scope. Today, the firm follows a tech-forward strategy as it carries out its work in the areas of branding, content marketing, web and digital, design thinking, strategic planning, and market research.
This month’s cover story subjects have never shied away from technology. “There are two kinds of Gen Xers, we’ve always said. There’s the kind that went toward the baby boomers and there’s the kind that went toward the millennials. Brenda and I from day one loved tech. We loved what was happening in that world. We jokingly say we’re millennials in Gen Xer bodies because we loved all the things that baby boomers complained about in the millennials,” Strand says. Turn to page 24 to learn how Blue Door Consulting leverages technology to help clients with their marketing and branding efforts.
Health care is another industry that’s increasingly embracing technology. Today, patients can forgo an office visit in favor of a video visit, check in to their appointments from their phones, receive text reminders about upcoming appointments, and request prescription renewals via patient portals. These innovations create convenience, break down barriers to care and help reduce the staffing burden within clinics and hospitals. Check out Nikki Kallio’s story on page 34 to learn how the pandemic has sped technology adoption and what the future holds on this front.
Of course, technology adoption can introduce concerns as well, with cybersecurity topping the list. Organizations of all sizes are vulnerable, from school districts to nonprofit organizations to small businesses and Fortune 500 firms. Threats are evolving faster than experts can keep up with, and colleges and universities can’t churn out cybersecurity professionals fast enough. And of course, the crisis in Ukraine and fears about Russian cyberattacks have brought worries to a fever pitch. Read Kate Bruns’ Insider story on page 30 to learn how the cyber insurance industry is responding to the challenge and how the newly opened Cybersecurity Center of Excellence at UW-Oshkosh offers a resource to the region and beyond.
We all know spring is slow to come in Wisconsin, but at Insight we’re already planning for warmer weather and several events to come. In addition to the Insight Open and the New North Summit, mentioned below, we are excited to present our third annual Women of Influence in the New North Region Awards. We were delighted to receive 75 nominations for women working across industries from manufacturing to education to health care to IT. Watch for the release of the listing of honorees in the coming weeks. Thank you so much to all who nominated. Please save the date for our awards event, set for Aug. 2 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Green Bay.
