Hey, Zankyou!
Although I have not written in your magazine for years … we have grown a lot together and it’s a shame that I don’t even have time to participate in all your numerous projects anymore. Sometimes it saddens me to think about it, but deep down, above all, I’m proud. This year you turn 10, how could I miss this opportunity to write for you again and congratulate you in public?
I could say that I don’t believe it’s been 10 years, but that would be a lie, because I believed in you from that very first idea all those years ago. That’s why I’m sorry for my silence lately, but I’m not surprised that you’re success and popularity is now 10 years old. We have long believed in the same philosophy when it comes to weddings, and you have worked so hard to achieve this.
I remember the beginning as if it were yesterday. There were only seven of us at the time, and the image was more like the cliche of three cramped tables in a garage in Silicon Valley (excuse the exaggeration), rather than large open offices full of people from around the world, which is what your HQ represents now.
I remember when the wedding vendors directory didn’t exist, the commercial department didn’t either, we “only” had a presence in six countries and one person per country was in charge of managing everything. Guillermo and Javier combined their functions as CEO with another thousand tasks (well, this is often still the case because they love to be involved in everything!), we had meetings in an unheated kitchen and it was as easy to get to the office on public transport as to go to Hogwarts when track 9 ¾ is blocked. Also, most of the articles that were published about us were actually published by ourselves on free websites to share press releases.
Let’s be honest: Zankyou, at times, it was hard. We had to earn the trust of every couple, make ourselves known in the market, keep growing with a reduced team and budget. But when you have a dream and a vision, nothing can stop you, right? Let me tell you that we were a small team but we were a great team, we were not afraid of anything and we faced each challenge with enthusiasm, always ready to welcome the next! The dynamic wedding industry is not easy, but our passion for weddings brought happiness to our hearts.
And today, look at yourself: you are leader or co-leader in all of the markets where you have a presence (23 countries in 4 continents!). We no longer need to explain who we are, we have hired people for positions we never thought we’d need 10 years ago, and now even publications like The New York Times talk about us without even asking.
You know what, Zankyou? It’s crazy that, after almost 10 years of knowing each other, we continue to be surprised. After so much time, some might think that our mission is accomplished, that we cannot reach new heights, that we are going to tire slow down; but no, not yet. Not even 10 more years would be enough to carry out all the projects we have in mind. Hold on, because this is just the beginning!
Oh, and while I’m here, let me thank you for trusting me, for helping me grow as a professional and as a person, for having the good fortune to be able to look back and think that I have participated and continue to participate in something great, for having let me manage all the mini departments of a country and allowing me to grow up to manage a whole department in 23 countries …
The Zankyou family has grown so much since that time, from when we were only seven people … Now I meet strangers in the corridors and I am surprised to see them enter one of our offices. Even so, that family is still intact and new friendships are formed every day; people from all over the world get to know each other, create links and work together to carry out this beautiful project that you represent. So, for that, I truly thank you.
Happy birthday, Zankyou! I met you when you were in diapers and now you’re collaborating with the greats of the industry, all over the world. See you soon to celebrate the 20!
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