Raconteurs was formed on A1A Beach Blvd and A Street at the Beachcomber Restaurant on Saint Augustine Beach, in view of the Atlantic Ocean, a dolphin pod feeding, and the Saint Augustine Beach Pier. At that spot on Anastasia Island, a company was born in a spirit of optimism and out of a sense of frustration. 

By that point, we were at a crossroads in our careers with a variety of options before us. But one thing stuck out in our mindset: We had worked for several government entities as well as in the private sector. With every experience on our journeys, we had seen up close the difficulty in working through communicating a message effectively. 

Few understood the simple art of telling a story. Even worse, we saw many people put their trust, not to mention a small fortune, in the hands of consultants and PR firms with little in the way of accountability and even less in the way of results.

So, we decided to try something different. To form a company that would advise clients on how to spread their messages — to tell their stories — in a way that was more effective. But, unlike several of our competitors, we also insist that we be accountable to our clients. We would have metrics to measure our results, regular reports that tracked our performance, and a clear commitment that we would never leave any client feeling like we hadn’t tried our very best for them. 

First, we needed a name. After ruling out various options — some of them were ridiculous — we settled on Raconteurs. We didn’t want the company to be wedded to any specific person, but instead to a concept. The definition of Raconteurs, after all, in French, is “those who tell stories with great skill.” That sounded pretty cool. Raconteurs are gifted storytellers. They're the ones who can spin amusing tales out of everyday life.

Originally, our ambitions were modest. We would help industry colleagues promote their destinations and/or events to unique audiences, helping them hone their messages, connecting them to event rights holders and national governing bodies, and getting them national and international attention. In some instances, we also provided research and writing assistance. We rented office and storage space in Saint Augustine Beach and Safety Harbor, Florida, which was barely the size of your average bathroom. For a time, we labored in a small room with a cell phone, a Wi-Fi signal, a couple of laptops, an overfilled trash can, and zero privacy.

Over time, we broadened our scope of services. We characterized ourselves as true storytellers. After all, most destination clients rely on marketing plans, advertising elements, ad creative from destination marketing organizations, convention and visitors’ bureaus, and ad agencies that don’t really get sports tourism storytelling and advertising.  We began helping people who have recently entered the sports tourism industry, to industry veterans who need help with future direction, funding models, and navigating their political environment.   

Raconteurs is now a full-fledged business venture — a destination and event rights holder advisory firm, a PR firm, a media outlet, an association management company, and offering mentorship services all rolled into one. These various components all work together in a single mission — to help individuals and organizations tell their stories in the way that works best for them.  With some of our clients, we help them create a road map for the future. With others, we pitch them advertising opportunities to reach clients and to better present themselves visually. Still others ask us to help guide them on an annual basis through their decision-making and negotiations. And some lucky clients benefit from all our services at once. 

But foremost in our minds is a client’s relevancy. Among our first questions in our introductory meetings with clients are these: Where do you and your organization want to be in five years? How do you see yourself positioned in the industry landscape? Are there current models out there that you seek to emulate? 

At Raconteurs, we aren’t only interested in helping our clients get attention for one project, but to help them make a lasting mark that goes beyond an event, a creative campaign, a PR pitch, or an updated website. We undertake that critical mission with our core values of accountability, agility, imagination, constant improvement, mindfulness, and all in the spirit of fun.

We now do it from our offices on Amelia Island, Florida, known as the Isle of Eight Flags, as eight different countries have owned the island throughout history. We are only steps from the Atlantic Ocean, the Amelia River, and blocks away from Florida’s oldest bar and the quaint Fernandina Beach historic district, where pirates established a Republic in the 17th and 18th centuries. It’s a fitting locale for us, bringing a modern sensibility and urgency to an unconventional establishment.