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Bob Sprague

Founder and CEOYes&

Baltimore, MD

Skills

Writing
Text Editing
Speech Writing

About

As Founder and CEO of Yes& Bob brings nearly 40 years of experience in marketing and communications, offering boardroom-level strategy combined with versatile writing and creative skills. His expertise spans branding, market research, internal communications, crisis communications, copywriting, speechwriting, and video production and his industry knowledge is deep in healthcare, financial services, homeland security, and association leadership. He is a results-oriented facilitator of strategy and planning sessions, insightful interviewer, and speaker on communication and stakeholder engagement topics. During his career Bob has served Fortune 500 corporations, leading associations, and multiple federal government agencies while leading the growth of an agency recognized by the Inc. 5000 for five consecutive years and currently ranked as #1 Visual Art and Design firm and #2 Advertising Agency based in the greater Washington, DC area.

Published content

11 ways introverted leaders can strengthen remote work relations

expert panel

Building bridges behind your screen is easier than you think. Introverted leaders often thrive in quiet, reflective environments, but the challenge of leading remote teams may sometimes feel cumbersome. In a fully virtual company where in-person interactions are limited, creating a sense of community and connection is essential, but engagement is still incredibly difficult for those who prefer to keep their head down, letting their work speak for itself. However, when introverted leaders need to step out of their comfort zones, there are strategies they can apply to foster a stronger, interactive virtual team. If you consider yourself an introvert and are trying to establish better points of contact with your virtual team, the leaders of Fast Company Executive Board each share their best practices for building a stronger digital community, creating more deliberate, thoughtful, and personal connections on the job.

Everything you know is wrong

article

Face it, a lot of what you think you know is based on what you remember, and what you remember can be very wrong. But that’s not all.

How is your company adapting to AI?

expert panel

17 lessons on a mind shift in strategy and the future of innovation The implementation of artificial intelligence is here to stay. For most companies, it is redefining their leadership approach to engaging in business and uncovering innovative solutions to assist customers with their pain points like never before. However, business leaders still agree that human insight alongside AI usage is still a key factor in maintaining the proper balance of ethical practices in handling data analysis and compliance updates. Below, 17 leading experts from Fast Company Executive Board each share how the rapid advancement of AI has reshaped their company's business model and what other leaders can learn from it.

How will tomorrow's employees master the AI revolution in 2025? 

expert panel

10 key factors to nurture and develop a tech-savvy team in the digital workplace. As the world of technology continues to reinvent itself, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a fundamental component for any thriving business in the competitive marketplace. While automated software solutions are lightening employees' daily workloads, most professionals agree on the importance of finding a balance between human touch and technology.  However, oftentimes, there is resistance to change if staff members are uncomfortable or nervous about navigating a new system. To help leaders better equip their teams for what's to come in the future, 10 experts from Fast Company Executive Board weigh in on the essential skills or training every employee should have under their belt to work effectively with AI technology in 2025.

12 ways to show clients and biz partners you care in the new year

expert panel

Taking their insights to heart underscores the value they bring to your business.  In a shifting and competitive marketplace, attracting and retaining loyal clients or partnerships to help your business thrive is not what it used to be. Leaders and their teams must work even harder to gain the time, respect, trust, and financial investment of others if they want their company to grow. With the start of a new year and unforeseen challenges awaiting, now is the time to rethink how best to show up for your biggest supporters—not only when the holidays roll around again, but also throughout the year. To help you put a strategy in place to strengthen your business relationships and brand reputation further, below, 12 experts from Fast Company Executive Board each offer one best practice to express how much you truly appreciate customer loyalty and brand partnerships year after year. Here's how to make your thank yous much more memorable.

20 resources leaders use to stay ahead in their industries

expert panel

Here are the go-to resources of leaders who are rising above their competition. For leaders, staying ahead of the competition in your industry requires more than just hard work. It calls for the right resources that provide timely insights, foster continuous learning, and help you adapt to industry shifts. Are you looking for a new go-to resource? If so, Fast Company Executive Board members share their favorites below. Whether it’s a trusted publication, an analytics tool, or a community network, it can make the difference between keeping pace and setting the pace in today's market.

Company details

Yes&

Company bio

We can all admit it, agency names are often based on nothing. Ours isn’t. Familiar with improv? It’s an effective platform designed to build ideas brick by brick and turn them into reality. It’s a collaborative process driven by an open mind, uncovering all possibilities. Welcome to Yes&, a premiere, mid-sized creative and marketing agency based in the mid-atlantic. Our ‘Yes’ is how we embrace your challenges with positivity. Then our ‘&’ is how we discover more possibilities to realize your full potential. We're always in pursuit of the & and what going above and beyond for our clients means to the possibilities and outcomes, the quality of the work, and the trust that you place in us. We have one central belief that building positive partnerships can lead to remarkable success. We deliver more for commercial, B2B, non-profit organizations, and government clients. Our integrated services include research, brand, marketing, advertising, digital and campaign strategy, creative thinking and design, event management and public relations, helping clients deliver more meaningful ideas, more expertise, and more results.

Industry

Marketing & advertising

Area of focus

Event Production
Digital Marketing
Web Development

Company size

51 - 200