This month, The Bridge, a strategy and technology consulting firm, opens its corporate headquarters in Dallas. Led by an experienced team of Dallas consulting executives, the name may be new, but the company has deep roots in the area.

The Bridge was founded as Sana Sano Consulting in 2014. Over the last nine years, the company has grown into a global, 85-person firm poised to explode onto the scene in north Texas. It’s only right that The Bridge comes home to Dallas, as its first major client was a national distributor headquartered in the metroplex. From there, the company expanded through client and employee referrals, and its reputation spread nationally as the team made a name for itself delivering results at Fortune 500 companies.

Right place, right time

By early 2023, the company was ready to invest in additional leadership and a physical headquarters. Dallas was a clear choice and the anchor of its evolution. According to Robby Riggs, co-founder, “We’ve always had an interest in Dallas. Not only was one of our first large clients here, but the market is so diverse and growing rapidly.”

As part of this expansion, The Bridge also added to its executive team, hiring Dallas-based Eric Winton as chief executive officer. “It was time for us to invest in leadership to help us build upon our core principles, scale our vision and bring a different experience to the market. We had both known and worked with Eric for years,” said Ken Wilkins, co-founder. “We knew he was the right choice to drive our company to the next level.”

Winton brings 25 years’ experience in technology strategy consulting, with expertise in growing firms. “This is an amazing time to be launching our presence in Dallas,” said Winton. “Companies need a partner to help them navigate economic turmoil, the emergence of AI and the challenges of returning to work post-Covid. Our client-centered approach focused on aligning our clients’ strategic objectives, bringing high-end technical talent and flexible delivery models, including nearshore and offshore capability, make us very unique.”

To expand the reach of the firm’s unique expertise, Winton brought on Daniel Baskind as chief growth officer to lead business development. “We offer our clients both a breadth of experience and the relational care of partners focused on helping them achieve their objectives. We have the flexibility and focus of a boutique, but the capability and experience of a larger firm,” said Baskind.

The enhanced leadership team crafted a strategic vision that reflected the firm’s strengths and its plans. “We accelerate transformation by building innovative digital products, curating differentiated experiences and unlocking business value through analytics and AI. We’ve organized our expertise and experience accordingly into five core practices,” Baskind said. These practices are:

This vision also included a new name. “We thought it was the right time for a brand refresh, and we loved the concept of The Bridge because we are committed to bridging the gap between our clients’ reality and their aspirations,” Wilkins added.

Building a generational company

A pillar of the company’s growth has always been intentional focus on engaging its people, with the annual company trip considered a highlight. Going forward, The Bridge remains focused on keeping its people at the center of its expansion.

To that end, one of the first hires made by The Bridge’s new executive team was Vice President of Talent Lindsay Groves. “We want to be the best place to work in the metroplex,” Groves said. “That starts with a comprehensive bonus and benefits program to attract the best of the best in DFW.”

However, Groves explains it’s not only compensation that attracts the best people; it’s also the environment a company builds for them to thrive in. “Our leadership team has experience at some of the best consulting firms in the world, and they have also worked in entrepreneurial environments. We are taking the best of both worlds to create an amazing, blended career experience for our people,” Groves said.

It’s this focus on people that is driving the company into its next era. “We’re excited to combine our legacy of delivering for clients with the innovation required to meet the challenges of 2023 and beyond,” said Winton. “It’s empowering our exceptional people that allows us to do that.”

To learn more about The Bridge and its consulting services, explore thebridge.com.