The first milestone completed.

Looking back, it's been a whirlwind year. Somehow, I've always had this goal in my head, a rough vision of what Sparks would be like in the future. In retrospect, it may have detoured a little but it's still heading the same direction. I guess different people will have their own personal definition of what 'growth' is about. In my sense, it's never translated in terms of manpower but in the amount of quality work that's been produced and the immense satisfaction that came with it.

I never thought I'll announce this but there is a little change in this company's direction of late. After much discussion, frustration, negotiation and satisfaction, I've finally decided to fully collaborate with Dentsu. Some call it a sell-out but I beg to differ. Read: I am and will not give up Sparks. After much experience with the Japs (still not much enough though, they think strange), I came to realise that I do give a lot of respect to a certain trait of this giant corporation. Although to many, a company's vision is always just another highly expensive motherhood statement coined by highly paid dark-suit-consultants, but I think I can testify the 'actual practice' of this common vision of Dentsu-jins. At least in Japan though. Sparks respects its DNA of cultivating both poles of individualism and communalism to become a respectful business partner to their client in creating new values. Motherhood statements never did well with me because I think most of them are iffy and meaningless. But this one, I've seen it happened and I can see myself being part of that value chain. Well, plus the fact, I'm openly admiting that I am officially a Honda philosophy convert.

Anyway, Sparks has always been about 'change'. Change not for the sake of changing, but change always for the better. I think there are two changes that will never change in the way Sparks does business. The first one is about changing corporations to find its true purpose and creating a selling culture which truly adds a sustainable value to the society that supports it and secondly, changing people. Changing the way income earners earn income by empowering them with the power of creation so that their highest job satisfaction does not only come from monetary reward but through the actualization of their ideas. I personally find immense satisfaction in empowering people so that they bring the best of them to the table utilizing their diverse talents and passion. Both which I hope to be able to provide when I'm officially part of Dentsu. Now that's mutual value creation; empowerment, accountability and social responsibility.

The contract is currently being drafted to ensure fairness and protection of interest to both parties. There are of course many grey areas since Sparks will continue its business as usual and I do appreciate Dentsu for respecting that. However, there will be some limitations to what I can continue to provide for future clients in terms of brand strategy. Therefore, I've decided that Sparks will move on to become fully web based concentrating on web strategies and solutions, and only provide non-web based strategic consultation exclusively to Dentsu.

There. I've finally spilled it. It will be another exciting chapter soon. It will be a lot of hard work but I'm really looking forward to it. I will continue to blog but my thoughts will represent Sparks and myself with no endorsement or whatsoever by Dentsu and/or Dentsu Utama. Thanks for staying with me for one year (clients, partners, readers, friends and phantom ones) and more importantly, thank you for growing with me.

Cheers!