Here at Pipeline Philly, we’re proud of our ability to build communities and foster a professional climate that is energetic, productive and collaborative.
Our space is abuzz with all manner of worker, and our location—just steps away from Philadelphia’s City Hall and Dilworth Park— lets members keep their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in the city and region. This election season and political climate has created a particularly exciting and opportune time here, with members covering and contributing to the political process from their desktops, conference rooms, phone booths and even from our café.
Pipeline members work on elections in varying capacities. They have hosted press conferences in our event space and provided election coverage on their news platforms. An impressive roster of elected officials, including Mayor Jim Kenney, have snapped photos in front of our iconic reception wallpaper. Some organizations, such as Philly 3.0, a PAC advocating election reform and voter accessibility, are directly concerned with policy issues that surround elections. Philly 3.0 is not only headquartered at Pipeline Philly, but recently utilized the space for a press conference to announce the formation of the Philadelphia Better Elections Commission.
Rittenhouse Political Partners, a premiere fundraising firm, works directly with political candidates, PACs, and non-profits to influence local and regional elections. Founder Aubrey Montgomery played a vital role as part of the bid team that was responsible for bringing the 2016 Democratic National Convention to Philadelphia.
The DNC’s arrival is a big deal for the city, to say the least. This gathering of influential elected officials, VIPs and journalists will attract tourists and create business opportunities for local retailers, artists, brewers, foodies, musicians and more. In fact, Philly.com estimates that the convention will bring as many as 50,000 visitors to the city, and the estimated $350 million impact on the local economy is evidence that these political events attract more than just politicians. “It is not just the revenue that the city makes during that week,” says Aubrey, “but the impression that the delegates have about the city that they keep with them forever.” For Aubrey, the event is all about building relationships and collaboration. “We are servicing our clients and their needs during the week, (hosting events, panels, and programs,) but we’re also helping to facilitate our national colleagues’ work here – like a convention concierge service.”
Last year’s Philadelphia mayoral race presented opportunities for Pipeline members to collaborate in a similar way. AL DÍA sponsored an event called “In Conversation With Philadelphia,” a sit-down conversation between candidates and local media, which was held within our event space. We promoted the event, while members working for Billy Penn—a mobile-based local news platform—both participated in and covered the event right from it’s Pipeline office space. One of our newest members and preferred caters, Miles Table and Catering, provided bites for the evening, to rave reviews.
Whether it is influencing public policy or building successful media relations, no one succeeds in a vacuum. In both the political and professional climates, collaboration is essential. We are most passionate about fostering an environment where our members can learn from each other and collaborate to achieve bigger things, and the opportunities that political elections provide truly amplify that culture within the Pipeline space. It is inspiring and energizing to see so many different players focused on the same issues.
How do politics and elections affect your business?
