We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caitlin Bartley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Caitlin , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I got my first client by saying yes—even before I knew how to fully execute. I believed in myself (or at least believed I could overcome any challenge I had set for myself), leaned into confidence, and, honestly, faked it until I made it. I’ll never forget sitting in an office with a founder and potential client when they said, “Let’s do it. Send a contract.” Without hesitation, I responded, “Great! I’ll send it over so we can get started.” Then I went straight home and Googled “People services contract.”

I learned through trial and error—sometimes the hard way—but I knew that was the fastest way to grow. I asked for forgiveness instead of permission, took risks, and figured things out along the way. That first “yes” set everything in motion, and I’ve never looked back.

Caitlin , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve always believed that focusing on one thing and doing it really well is the key to success. Trying to do too many things dilutes impact and makes it harder to achieve true proficiency. So when I took the leap to start cred, I was clear from the beginning that our mission would be centered around the focus of building thought leaders. Ten years later, I’m incredibly proud to say that we’ve stayed true to that vision.

cred is a niche agency specializing in event impact, and no other agency has connected more speakers to events than we have. Today, we’re one of the largest women-owned businesses in the Bay Area, and that focus has been our differentiator.

Entrepreneurship wasn’t something I had always envisioned for myself. I didn’t grow up dreaming of running a business, but I’ve always been a go-getter, and I saw an opportunity to build something rooted in both my passions and expertise—marketing, brand strategy, and events. After moving back to the U.S. from Australia, I had nothing to lose. I thought, why not? Fortunately, I had incredible mentors early on who pushed and supported me through those critical first stages.

At cred, we believe in the power of events to influence change and build community. I am proud to say that belief has driven us to build a book of business that serves clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies like Pinterest, Dropbox, SAP, Oracle, Instacart, and more.

We focus on two distinct offerings designed to build thought leadership through events:

Strategic Speaker Programs – We proactively identify the right conferences for our clients, craft their messaging, and leverage our deep connections with event organizers to secure speaking opportunities. Thought leadership isn’t built overnight—it requires consistency. That’s why we develop long-term placement strategies over a 6 to 12-month period, creating a drumbeat effect that amplifies their presence and impact.

Event Management – Events are a critical part of any marketing and sales strategy. Whether it’s a 300-person thought leadership summit, an intimate 12-person executive dinner, or an event tied to a major conference or sponsorship, we help clients strategize, plan, and execute high-impact experiences that align with their goals.

And through it all, our focus remains —helping leaders shape conversations and create meaningful connections through events.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Building a strong reputation in our market has been a combination of reliability, consistency, value-driven content, and a commitment to excellence. One of the biggest factors in establishing credibility has been positioning ourselves as thought leaders in the events space. We do this through a monthly newsletter that provides industry insights, updates on our achievements, and highlights of the wins we’ve secured for our clients. Additionally, we maintain a blog, posting at a minimum twice a month, to share expertise, trends, and strategies that add value beyond our offering to our audience.

Beyond content, delivering exceptional service is at the core of our brand. We ensure we meet deadlines, set clear expectations, and follow through on commitments for our clients, which has helped us build trust and long-term relationships. And it shows – most of our business comes through referrals, or “boomerangs” as we like to call them, clients who come back to us after a pause or take us with them on their next adventure. Another key to fostering brand loyalty is working with partners who respect and value our contributions—those who see our partnership as a collaboration.

By staying visible, providing consistent value, and upholding a high standard of service, we’ve been able to not only grow our reputation but also strengthen relationships with our clients, ensuring they stay with us or return to us time and time again (and it shows!).

Any advice for managing a team?

Managing a team and maintaining morale is a constant learning process, and as a first-time founder, I’ve had to embrace both growth and vulnerability. While it can be intimidating to lead a team of 20+ people looking to me for direction and motivation, I’ve learned that authenticity is one of the most valuable traits a leader can have. I don’t have all the answers, and I think it’s important for my team to see that I’m still learning. Being open about that journey helps build trust and fosters a culture where people feel safe to learn and grow alongside me.

That said, I’ve learned a lot from a decade of being in this business! One of the best decisions I’ve made is surrounding myself with people who inspire, challenge, and motivate me—whether that’s colleagues, clients, or mentors. That same philosophy extends to how we build and support our team at cred. We invest heavily in employee growth and development because we want our team members to see this as a place where they can thrive, be challenged, and feel supported. Everyone defines success differently, and I believe in having open conversations to understand what that looks like for each individual. Simply asking and showing a genuine interest in their goals creates stronger alignment and a deeper sense of commitment on both sides.

Another important aspect of leadership is understanding what motivates people. I ask team members about their love language and, more recently, what specifically drives them—is it extra time off, financial incentives, public recognition, or something more personal like a handwritten note? Knowing what makes each person feel valued helps me communicate more effectively and provide the right kind of encouragement. When people feel seen and appreciated, they’re naturally more motivated, which ultimately benefits the entire business.

We also prioritize making work enjoyable. Our dedicated Culture Club, with their own substantial budget gets to choose how they plans events, celebrate employee milestones like birthdays, designs swag, and organize things like volunteer efforts or holiday parties to keep team spirit alive. Since going fully remote, maintaining a strong culture has been more challenging, but we still find ways to bring people together and create moments of celebration. At the end of the day, when people enjoy their work environment, they show up more engaged and committed—leading to both a stronger team and a more successful business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.credpr.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cred_sf
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/credsf/
• Twitter: https://x.com/cred_sf
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinabartley/