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  • BSG’s Live Event Monitoring Capability

    With Bullpen Strategy Group’s (BSG) powerful live event monitoring capability, capturing the events that matter most is intuitive, seamless, and simplified. 

    Live events rule the news cycle. From congressional hearings to TV interview to livestreams, clients need to have the ability to monitor, capture, and digest fast-moving developments to maintain a competitive advantage.

    Let’s look at how BSG’s three-phase process keeps you in-the-know:

    Before The Event

    Our live event monitoring offering begins during the onboarding process, where you and your account manager can identify upcoming events for the team to monitor.

    Before (or even during) a live event, you can work with your account lead to determine your priorities for the event. We can home in on certain keywords or phrases, a specific line of inquiry, questions and answers from specific participants, or anything else important to your needs. 

    During The Event

    With priorities established, now it’s time for the big show! As the event stream begins, you and your team will receive a “Happening Now” alert from your BSG Dashboard, containing all the relevant information for the event, including a link to view the event stream and a live transcript via BSG’s in-house Caption platform.

    As the event progresses, in accordance with your priorities, BSG will send responsive real-time alerts containing video clips and matching transcripts, as well as social media and broadcast commentary. 

    After The Event

    Once the event concludes, BSG can send a full, downloadable video and matching transcript to easily go back and identify key moments. The team will continue to monitor for follow-up coverage in the hours and days after the event. 

    BSG’s live event monitoring capability, powered by its advanced tech stack and human experts, represents the most comprehensive asset on the market designed to keep you informed and on top of the ever-growing sea of important live events. 

  • Bullpen Strategy Group Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary!

    Dear Friend,

    Today, we at Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) celebrate our five-year anniversary!

    We launched in 2019 with the mission of building a new kind of strategic advisory firm designed to help clients meet their challenges, grow, and manage risk. Today, we’re proud to say that BSG has grown to a team of 60+ professionals spanning three offices across two continents. We’re now serving 80+ great clients every month and are making major investments in technology solutions and unique datasets, new services and practice areas, and growing our team with the goal of better meeting the challenges our client face daily in a ever-more complex and unpredictable world.

    We obviously couldn’t do any of this without our amazing clients, many of which have been with us since day one. For that, we say thank you!

    We’ve further launched two subsidiaries over the past two years: Look Ahead Strategies, a premium communications, consulting, and research firm serving political campaigns and advocacy clients, and Kyber Research, focused purely on public records/FOIA requests and retrievals. These new offerings strengthen our ability to serve our clients outside of what a traditional public affairs firm offer.

    Finally, we say a big thank you to our strong and growing team. Their hard work and dedication are the reason BSG has been recognized for two straight years on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing private companies in America! Thank you!

    We look forward to continuing this journey together.

    Thank you,

    Joe Pounder
    CEO

  • Bullpen Strategy Group Expands Partnership, Names CFO

    WASHINGTON, DC – Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) today announces the expansion of its partnership with the promotion of Erica Guyton from Chief People Officer to Partner, as well as Clay Bartel from Managing Director to Chief Financial Officer.

    Guyton joined BSG in 2021, bringing more than a decade of experience spearheading organizational development, growth, expansion, and improvement across diverse corporate platforms. In that time, Erica has been instrumental in building the BSG team, which has grown to over 60 professionals spanning three offices across two continents.

    Bartel is assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer for our organization as he plays a bigger role not only at BSG, but also for GP3 Partners and GP3 Technology Group.

    “I can’t think of a better way to kick-off BSG’s 5-Year Anniversary than by announcing the promotion of two individuals that have proven to be paramount to our organization’s success,” said BSG CEO Joe Pounder. “When we introduced our ‘pathway to partnership’ plan in 2022, we had team members like Erica in mind. Erica has been a longtime part of our organization, helping to build our operations, and leading very successful recruitment drives as our organization grows. This is recognition of her expanded role as our Chief People Officer, which will ensure that our team is best situated and equipped to continue to deliver for our clients.

    “Clay has been integral to our operations for many years, and this expanded role will ensure that BSG, GP3, and GP3 Tech Group are set up for long-term success.”

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  • Bullpen Strategy Group Named To Inc. 5000 List Of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies List For Second Consecutive Year

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the second year in a row, Inc. Magazine recognized Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) on its annual Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. This year, BSG moved up nearly 1,500 spots, rising to number 2,274 on Inc.’s 2024 list. Founded just five years ago, BSG has experienced dynamic growth, and now has more than 60 team members across three offices in Washington, DC, Dallas, and London.

    “Making the Inc. 5000 for the second straight year is a testament to our team’s continued growth as well as the great confidence our clients place in us every day to deliver results,” said BSG CEO Joe Pounder. “As BSG approaches its five-year anniversary this September, we’re excited to build on this achievement as we make major investments in data, add top talent to our roster, and broaden our services to help our clients achieve their objectives.”

    Earlier this year, BSG marked the one-year anniversary of two subsidiaries: Look Ahead Strategies, a specialized, full-service communications and research firm serving political, policy, and issue advocacy clients, and Kyber Research, which is dedicated to assisting clients with requesting and retrieving public records from across the United States and the world.

    “One of the greatest joys of my job is going through the Inc. 5000 list,” says Mike Hofman, Inc.’s editor-in-chief. “Congratulations to this year’s honorees, as well, for growing their businesses fast despite the economic disruption we all faced over the past three years, from supply chain woes to inflation to changes in the workforce.”

    Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, location, and other criteria, are available at www.inc.com/inc5000.

    Methodology 

    Companies on the 2024 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2020. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2023. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2020 is $100,000; the minimum for 2023 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. 

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  • Bullpen Strategy Group Grows Team With New Hires and Promotions

    Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) today announced six new hires and six promotions across its Communications, Research & Analysis, and Media Intelligence practices in both the Washington, DC, and London offices. BSG has experienced strong growth over the past year, and now has more than 60 team members across three offices in Washington, DC, Dallas, and London.

    “We’re excited to make these talented additions to our roster at BSG – their deep experience both in government and the political arena will add value for our clients across the globe,” said BSG CEO Joe Pounder. “Further, we’re proud to see a number of our team members earn promotions for continuing to grow professionally over the past year. As we approach BSG’s five-year anniversary in September, we continue to strengthen and expand our practice areas to drive results for our clients.”

    Joining the BSG team are:

    Carolyn Needham – Senior Vice President, Research & Analysis: Carolyn brings more than a decade of experience in research, communications, and crisis management to BSG. Most recently, Carolyn served as Research Director for Nikki Haley’s 2024 presidential campaign, where she led research and rapid response operations. She was also integral to crafting communications strategies, debate preparation, and paid media. Prior to the campaign, Carolyn served in a range of roles with Stand for America (Haley’s Leadership PAC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee, America Rising, and Freedom Partners. Carolyn received her B.A. in History and Religious Studies from the University of Virginia.

    Ben Vihstadt – Vice President, Communications: Prior to joining BSG, Ben served as Senior Communications Advisor for New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu for the past two years. From Governor Sununu’s first gubernatorial campaign in 2016 through his fourth and final term in office, Ben served as a key advisor and communications leader, both in the governor’s office and on his four statewide campaigns over that time period. Ben has led communications, digital, and rapid response efforts, and has extensive experience working with PACs, nonprofit political initiatives, and in government service. Ben graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Government.

    Madeleine Lefranc – Associate, Communications: Madeleine brings expertise in media monitoring, democracy initiatives, and public affairs. Prior to BSG, Madeleine worked at CLYDE as a Public Affairs Fellow. She graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Political Science and minors in French and Global Security Studies.

    Sydney Maingot – Associate, Communications: Sydney brings to BSG experience in political campaigns, digital fundraising, and crisis communications. Prior to BSG, Sydney worked on the client strategy team at Targeted Victory, a Washington, DC-based public affairs and digital firm. She graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Political Science and International Affairs.

    Cameron Helms – Associate, Media Intelligence: Cameron brings to BSG expertise in cybersecurity, intelligence, and strategy. She previously worked as an open-source intelligence analyst. A graduate of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Cameron is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in cybersecurity from Johns Hopkins University.

    Henrietta Hill – Associate, Media Intelligence: Henrietta joins BSG’s London office in the Media Intelligence team, keeping clients up to date with key, relevant news and developments to guide strategy. She is a B.A. History graduate from the University of Birmingham.

    In addition, BSG announced six promotions: Jared Beard, Alex Koch, and Ryan McDowell to Senior Director, Giancarlo Payamps to Director, and Jack Lubbock and Kuljeet Singh to Senior Associate.

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  • BSG Announces BSG Caption, An AI Platform Powering Enhanced Live Event Monitoring

    BSG Caption Enhances Live Event Monitoring Capability With Transformative New Platform

    WASHINGTON D.C – Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) today unveiled its latest Media Intelligence capability: BSG Caption, an in-house AI-enhanced live event monitoring and capture platform.

    Designed and built to enhance our live event monitoring capabilities, BSG Caption offers a transformative live streaming experience. Hearings, speeches, conferences, panel discussions and more now come with real-time transcripts and the ability to easily and instantly create video clips of key moments. 

    BSG Caption stands out by integrating real-time translation, supporting over 90 languages, allowing BSG to provide clients access to events on a global scale.  Key Features of BSG Caption:

    Live Streaming: Access video streams of events as they happen.

    Real-Time Transcript: Follow along with transcripts of live broadcasts, ensuring you never miss a word.

    Video Clipping: Intuitive interface allows users to easily create and share video clips of key moments, enhancing the impact of your communications campaign, analysis, and reporting.

    Multi-Language Translation: Break language barriers with real-time translation in over 90 languages.

    “From Congressional hearings to TV interviews to livestreams, today there are more live events to monitor than ever, and having the ability to monitor, capture, and digest fast-moving developments is key to maintain a competitive edge,” said BSG CEO Joe Pounder. “That’s why we built BSG Caption – to provide comprehensive, real-time access to the events that matter to our clients.” 

    BSG Caption is now incorporated into all our clients’ live event monitoring programs. This addition to our Media Intelligence technology stack supercharges our ability to provide stakeholders a full-spectrum view of their media landscape. 

    For more information on BSG Caption visit https://bullpenstrategygroup.com or contact us at contact@bullpenstrategygroup.com. 

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  • BSG Books – Summer 2024: Our Recommendations

    We recently asked the BSG staff for the books they would recommend adding to anyone’s summer reading list. We were impressed by the diversity and range of selections they chose – a mix of fiction, history, social science, and pop culture. The list below might help you find something great to pick up this summer season.

    Normandy ’44: D-Day and the Epic 77-Day Battle for France – James Holland

    “Holland does a great job of telling the full story of Operation OVERLORD, from its planning to execution and the subsequent 76-day Battle for Normandy by relating personal stories and eyewitness accounts woven together into a very engaging narrative. It was recommended to me by a military historian friend as the best account of D-Day to read as a non-military scholar. It’s a perfect read as we reflect on the 80th anniversary of D-Day.” 

    – Beth Hitchcock, Vice President

    Demon Copperhead – Barbara Kingsolver

    “Demon Copperhead is probably the best book I’ve read all year. A modern take on David Copperfield — but set in Appalachia at the height of the opioid epidemic. Demon Copperhead examines generational poverty and how societal and institutional failures allow the cycle of poverty, abuse, and addiction to continue. The writing is both witty and heartbreaking. Impossible to put down.” 

    – Valerie Chicola, Senior Director

    There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension – Hanif Abdurraqib

    “This is about Abdurraqib’s coming of age in Columbus, OH during the rise of Lebron James and how we view sports in the context of larger cultural narratives.” 

    – George Basile, Senior Associate

    The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder – David Grann

    “I found myself tearing through the book like it was fiction, only to constantly remind myself the harrowing, and sometimes unbelievable, narrative I was reading was a true story. Grann does a great job presenting the account in a balanced manner, no mean feat given the events covered are nearly three centuries old, and the sources on which he draws regularly conflict. This is a perfect summer read” 

    – Andrew Muchnick, Senior Director

    My Effin’ Life – Geddy Lee

    “As a die-hard fan of the band RUSH, bassist Geddy Lee’s long awaited memoir was already a must read. Setting this book apart from the usual rock-n-roll biography is the harrowing account of his parents’ struggle to survive the Holocaust that serves as a reminder to readers about what happens when fascism rears its ugly head.” 

    – Jared Wheeler, Vice President, Look Ahead Strategies

    The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life – Sally Jenkins

    “Written by one of my favorite sports columnists, Sally Jenkins examines the seven character traits shared by all world class athletes, and challenges the reader to implore these traits to be better performers at work and in life. Greatness does not happen by mistake, but rather, it is cultivated through deliberate decision and actions.” 

    – Rob Simpson, Vice President

  • Corporate Communications in an Era of “Global Economic Chaos”

    Words matter, and in today’s challenging, dynamic world, strong and clear communications are key to the success of a campaign, brand, or company.

    Effective communications skills continue to be in high demand, even in an age of AI, according to data compiled by LinkedIn and reported by Axios. According to their data, 9 out of 10 global executives agree that these “soft skills” are more valuable to their organizations than ever before.

    “Human skills, like communication, leadership and teamwork are particularly critical in this moment,” says LinkedIn Learning global head of content strategy, Dan Brodnitz. “With a rise in remote and hybrid work, and now AI, the need for human connection and people skills have become even more important as companies are looking for talent that can step up and create innovative, agile, collaborative teams.”

    Chuck Robbins, chair and CEO of Cisco, and new chair of the Business Roundtable, recently sat down with Axios, with the overarching message that CEOs now believe global economic chaos is the new normal, and that all these situations must be dealt with head-on:

    “There’s a generation of CEOs, with everything going on, that probably would have said, ‘We’re just going to pause everything until things get back to normal,’” Robbins said. But “we think this is normal.”

    At Cisco, Robbins is already planning for the company’s agenda after the presidential election, regardless of who is occupying the White House. Robbins is also keenly aware of the fact that companies are more trusted than government and is looking to leverage that strength for good, adding that most Americans “realize strong companies in the United States do great things for this country.”

    At BSG, our team of communicators spent years honing their skills on top political campaigns, the halls of Congress, and corporate board rooms so they can deliver high-stakes media engagements on behalf of our clients today. We work to develop and execute strategical and tactical communications plans, look for angles to shape the public debate, and turn persuasive messages into winning results.

    Learn more about BSG’s communications practice here.

  • BSG Media Intelligence: User Experience Update

    We’re excited to roll out our updated and refreshed user experience across BSG’s Media Intelligence product suite.

    The new design is engineered to enhance your reading experience! It merges a sleek, user-friendly layout with the comprehensive, timely data you’ve come to expect from BSG, ensuring you get the most out of every report.

    Our new design makes complex information more digestible, translating into quicker insights and better decision-making. Whether it’s the latest breaking news, commentary or analysis, our reports provide the clarity you need to stay informed and ahead of the curve.

    Thank you for choosing us as your trusted partner in Media Intelligence. We look forward to continuing to serve you with ever-greater clarity and precision.

    Interested in learning more? Get in touch at MediaIntel@bullpenstrategygroup.com.

  • Financial Disclosures Beyond Tax Day

    Taxes and financial information are currently on the minds of many Americans, as April 15 typically marks the day that individual income tax returns need to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). While individual tax records are usually private, there are numerous financial and tax-related filings that are publicly available.

    Property Tax Records, normally publicly available on local county websites, provide a glimpse into the value assessments and tax contributions associated with an individual’s or company’s real estate ownership. Often, these records also provide information about tax payment history, including late (or non) payments, fines, and other fees.

    Form 990s – the IRS tax returns filed annually by 501(c) nonprofits – provide critical information for those interested in the financial workings of these organizations. These documents, which are required to be publicly disclosed upon request, offer a limited view into a nonprofit’s funding streams, board composition, independent contractor payments, assets, and investments held, among other key data.

    Personal Financial Disclosures highlight the assets, liabilities, and income sources for many appointed and elected officials at the federal and state levels. While some political figures occasionally choose to preemptively disclose their tax returns, federally there are asset disclosure requirements that show investments held by these officials and a general value range of the asset. Additionally, officials are required to file reports whenever assets are bought and sold, providing insights into trading habits and in some cases, drawing accusations of insider trading.

    Field Research is also a useful practice employed by Kyber Research, a subsidiary of BSG, to obtain financial documents that are publicly available, but not searchable online. With a network of analysts across the country, Kyber can deploy resources to local courthouses and other government facilities to obtain additional property records, deeds, and titles.

    These are just a few of the many sources and datastreams our research team leverages to provide strategic intelligence and insights to our clients.

    To learn more about all our research offerings, including our BSG Research Stack, with an expert team of 15 analysts across two continents, our utilization of 200+ unique databases, and proprietary datasets and solutions, email us at contact@bullpenstrategygroup.com.