Embracing the Pivot: Growth in Motion
The past couple of months have been nothing short of inspiring. Between the whirlwind of TechWeekGR, the magic of ArtPrize, being selected for a Comcast Rise Award, and an unforgettable trip to France with Comcast/Nitel, I’ve been reminded just how much innovation and creativity surround us and how grateful I am to be a part of it. Each experience has offered a new perspective on connection, technology, and the ways people everywhere are finding harmony between art, business, and purpose.
At Symplicity, we’ve been navigating a season of change ourselves. We’re in the midst of a platform transition, which—like most changes—has brought both challenges and opportunities. But instead of framing it as a disruption, I’ve come to see it as a pivot: a chance to evolve, to take what we’ve learned and move with intention toward something better. Pivoting doesn’t always mean starting over; sometimes it means finding a new path through familiar terrain.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this journey, it’s that adaptability is the heart of progress. Whether you’re standing in front of a centuries-old cathedral in France or building out a new digital experience for clients, growth often happens when plans shift and we say yes to the unexpected. These are the moments that test our creativity, strengthen our teams, and reveal what we’re truly capable of.
As we look ahead to the close of the year, I’m filled with gratitude — for our partners, our clients, and especially for the people who show up every day ready to make things work, even when the path isn’t clear. Change is constant, but so is our commitment to move forward with purpose, integrity, and a bit of curiosity for whatever comes next.
Best Regards,
Catherine
Catherine Ripley
CEO & President
[email protected] | 616.588.8501
ArtPrize at Symplicity
From September 18th through October 4th, the Symplicity Communications Building was host to an art installation as part of ArtPrize 2025.
Ted Loomis, a Michigan native who currently resides in Cave Creek, Arizona, showcased his piece, “Kaiwa” in the Symplicity offices. Kaiwa is an experimental art installation comprised of 5 mixed-media paintings, each containing a haiku in both English and Japanese and the artists interpretation. Four are comprised of 17 upcycled cardboard cafeteria trays/panels (themselves made from recycled paper) using acrylic, cold wax, oil paint, and oil pastels. The 5th painting is on a large canvas.
Thousands of guests came through the Symplicity Communications doors to view Ted’s piece and to take part in the ArtPrize celebrations. We had a great experience spending time with Ted and talking to guests as they visited our offices. Symplicity is happy to have been part of this amazing event and to continue to be an active member of the Grand Rapids business community.
See more of Ted’s artwork at his website and watch our Symplicity Conversations Podcast episode with Ted here for some great conversation!
Tech Week Kickoff and Sponsorship
Symplicity celebrated the kick-off of Tech Week Grand Rapids 2025 by partnering with some of our top service providers to take a group of clients, staff, partners and contest winners to Tech Week Kick-Off ft. Steve Wozniak at GLC Live at 20 Monroe.
The Symplicity Communications team hosted a Happy Hour Event on day one of Tech Week before Wozniak’s keynote address with our sponsoring partners Blue Team Alpha, COEO and Outsource Consultants. We enjoyed being able to spend some time with clients and community members in downtown space with snacks and refreshments before walking over to the event as a group.
Later in the week, Symplicity helped sponsor the “Scaling with Soul” Tech Week Event with Inforum and the Technology Council of West Michigan. Symplicity Senior Sales Director Erin Stewart spoke on a powerhouse panel as part of the event.
Symplicity Hosts Tech Week Event
On Tuesday, September 16th, Symplicity Communications hosted “Accelerating Innovation: Transforming Data Strategy with AI” as part of Tech Week Grand Rapids 2025.
In a world where data is abundant, but time is limited, organizations are turning to automation and AI to transform analytics into action.
The event was well attended and featured an insightful keynote by Roberta McCarter, founder of Novus Data Journeys, where she explored how intelligent automation is revolutionizing the way businesses derive and deliver insights.
Following the keynote, Symplicity President and CEO Catherine Ripley moderated a dynamic panel featuring Roberta, Symplicity’s Sr. Director of Sales Erin Stewart, and RingCentral’s SVP Global Technical Solutions & Innovation Amir Hameed where they shared lessons from the front lines of digital transformation.
Thank you to all of our presenters and to all of the guests that took the time to spend the morning with us. If you are interested in learning more about the information presented, let us know!
Symplicity Earns Comcast Rise Grant
In August, Symplicity Communications was selected as a recipient of the Comcast Rise Program Grant.
Comcast announced Grand Rapids, Muskegon, and surrounding areas will be one of five regions where eligible small businesses will have the opportunity to receive grants through Comcast RISE.
As part of the award, Symplicity will receive small business benefits such as a creative production, a media schedule, educational resources, monetary grant, and business consultation services.
Symplicity Named Comcast Executive Partner
Symplicity Communications is proud to be recognized as an Executive Partner in the Comcast Business Solutions Advisor Program.
As an Executive Partner in the Solutions Advisor Program, Symplicity is able to leverage a recognized, experienced, and respected industry program to help us provide you the products, support, and tools to help your business succeed.
Symplicity Featured on Episode of “Advancements with Ted Danson”
On Saturday, September 13th at 8:00 PM ET on Bloomberg TV, Symplicity Communications was featured in a segment during an episode of Advancements with Ted Danson.
Hosted by award-winning actor Ted Danson, Advancements is a 30-minute, information-based program, that educates audiences on a global level about the latest breakthroughs, innovations, and groundbreaking tools and technologies impacting society.
The segment highlighted Symplicity Communications’ commitment to driving digital transformation and to promoting diversity within the tech industry, while underscoring the importance of integrating advanced technologies, such as automation and cloud computing, to enhance operational efficiency and scalability. The segment also emphasized the company’s role in bridging the gender gap in tech and in ensuring that innovation reflects the diverse needs of all communities.
The Symplicity segment and full episode can be found on the Advancements Vimeo channel and will be available in the future on Amazon Prime Video.
For more information, please visit our website: Symplicity Communications on Advancements with Ted Danson.
Catherine Ripley Presenting at Brilliance Summit
At the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Summit on November 6, 2025 Brilliant Woman of the Year Catherine Ripley will be featured on during a Q&A session.
Attendees will hear Catherine’s story of how she has overcome various decks of cards stacked against her throughout the years, advice she gives to other women facing adversity and more.
Learn more about this Q&A session and our Brilliance Summit agenda here: Brilliance Summit.
