Accela: Past, Present and Future
Our early vision for Accela was to help venture-backed businesses by providing founders with the freedom to focus on growing their core business. While that still holds true today, our mission and expertise has grown significantly, as has our network of partners. As with any business that grows and evolves, we’ve made changes, reinvented ourselves, struggled to find our perfect voice and worked hard to get to where we are today. Never one to rest on our laurels, our customers have been a huge driving force in our evolution.
In celebration of our new brand identity, we hear from some of the team who have been part of the company’s evolution on what’s changed, what hasn’t and where we are heading.
Jennifer Stewart, Communications Director, Accela Communications
When did you join the company?
December 2015
What do you think of when you think of the Accela that you joined?
I feel fortunate that I joined the business so early on, as it has been incredible to have been such a big part of the “Accela journey”. I have lots of happy memories of days in our first office at Wallich! Although the team was no doubt smaller back then, it was certainly mighty, and I loved (and still love) being part of such a passionate group of people and a growing company with an exciting vision.
What has changed?
For one, we are a much bigger team. Our portfolio of clients across all the business verticals has also evolved, with each team having built solid reputations and holding recognition within their respective industries.
What will never change?
The Accela culture and the ethos of the business. This is something that I was really drawn to when I joined the company, and something that I am proud to say has remained.
What feels exciting about the Accela of 2022 and beyond?
The continued expansion of the business, and of course, our new branding! While 2020 and 2021 were challenging in many aspects, we were fortunate that any pauses to our growth were short-lived. Both our client base and team are stronger than ever, and I am personally optimistic that the year ahead will bring even more opportunity for growth. At Accela Communications we are very much looking forward to a return of our much-loved client events and regional travel opportunities.
How would you sum up Accela in just a few words?
Rewarding, resilient and inspiring.
Jess Fitzgerald, Senior Content Marketing Director, Accela Group
When did you join the company?
August 2018
What do you think of when you think of the Accela that you joined?
When I moved to Singapore in 2018, I was casually browsing for jobs not knowing whether I was looking for a full-time or a contract role. I saw the role I ended up taking advertised, but at the time, because of the three verticals, I didn’t understand what the company did. I thought the role was doing in-house PR for a tech company which wouldn’t have been a fit for me based on my experience.
Then I met Erin through mutual friends and realised how awesome Accela is, and how exciting the clients are in the communications division. I was really excited to join firstly in a part-time capacity while I transitioned out of my previous role in New York, and then full-time in 2019.
What has changed?
Back then we were in the early stages of defining each of the divisions. We knew we weren’t a start-up for start-ups anymore – the Communications division was working on so many big and exciting lifestyle clients. We redesigned our website and started our own Instagram account in 2019, both with a strong brand voice that highlighted our lifestyle focus. Accela Communications has come a really long way, our team is only continuing to grow, and we made it through the pandemic which drastically impacted our hospitality clients.
What will never change?
We care so much about our clients, we are passionate about the brands and people we work with, and I don’t ever see that changing. That’s something that really attracted me to the company back in 2018.
What feels exciting about the Accela of 2022 and beyond?
I’m so excited to see the company continuing to raise its profile through the new branding. We’ve always known we do great work and this outwardly represents what we do.
How would you sum up Accela in just a few words?
Passionate, creative and dedicated. We just really care about our clients. Their success is our success.
Vicky Jones, Finance & Administration Coordinator, Accela Group
When did you join the company?
November 2018
What do you think of when you think of the Accela that you joined?
That it was a close-knit, trendy company made up of a very friendly team of people.
What has changed?
When I started, our offices were on Telok Ayer and my role was permanent-part time. Over the years, our client base has grown and expanded, my role is now full time and covers all of Accela’s internal finance and HR matters.
What will never change?
How friendly everyone is and how forward-thinking the teams are. With the ever-changing Covid restrictions, the departments have had to come up with new ideas and concepts to help our clients and I think they have done an awesome job.
What feels exciting about the Accela of 2022 and beyond?
With the relaxing of restrictions I look forward to seeing the team really start to shine again with all their amazing ideas and care for our clients.
How would you sum up Accela in just a few words?
Go-getters and dedicated
Savitha Raman, Senior Finance Manager, Accela Finance
When did you join the company?
January 2019
What do you think of when you think of the Accela that you joined?
I wasn’t looking for a job when I got a call about a role at Accela. But as soon as I spoke to the team, I knew I was interested. It was completely different to the previous organisations I had worked in. The culture was open, the people were friendly. In any other place, when you make a mistake you are crushed. But Erin was the first person who told me we are all humans, and what’s more important is what you do to fix the problem. It gave me a lot of confidence as a professional.
What has changed?
We have grown from a startup that also does bookkeeping to a full finance company that takes on accounting and finance advisory roles.
What will never change?
We will never stop being friendly and flexible. If a client says they want something we haven’t offered before, we won’t say we can’t do it. We will be honest, we will say we haven’t done this in the past, but that we have the skills and understanding, and we will try our best.
What feels exciting about the Accela of 2022 and beyond?
We are growing and the growth phase is amazing. I’m excited about the new branding and the new stories we have to tell. Right now, 2022 feels so optimistic, and Accela beyond 2022 will only be better.
How would you sum up Accela in just a few words?
The epitome of the three Ds of success; determined, dedicated and diverse.
