11 Dec 5 Years, 5 Questions, 5 Reflections with Marisa

We sat down with CtD’s leadership to talk about the journey of Connect the Dots as we celebrate the milestone for 5 years in Philadelphia. Marisa Denker is Founder and CEO who started Connect the Dots in Ireland and then brought it to Philadelphia in 2019. We asked her five questions about the journey to and beyond 5 years. We also interviewed Sylvia García-García, Principal at CtD. Read the interview with Sylvia here.

Congratulations on reaching your 5th anniversary! This milestone is significant, but I’m sure the road to get here was full of surprising twists and turns. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in the early days of CtD, and how did you overcome them?

We were newcomers to the Philadelphia scene of community engagement. In the beginning, it was just me, so although I had a lot of experience in Ireland that we could point to, I still had to build trust, partnerships, and collaborations to truly begin growing in Philadelphia. It was an exciting challenge, and it helped Connect the Dots expand our thinking about engagement and how it would work in this city. There were so many more barriers to engagement here. Even in our early stages, we were always trying to be creative in how we connected people. Philly forced us to be even more inventive.

We focused on layered engagement, recognizing how important it is to have different engagement methods happening simultaneously to reach people and ensure accessibility. In Ireland, we didn’t have to think this way—it worked if you held one event, and everyone would come. That’s not the case here in Philly.

Then, during our first year, the pandemic hit. COVID-19 became an additional barrier we had to get creative around. It forced us to rethink engagement in layers—virtual, remote, and in-person—so that we could still reach people and have their voices heard. We experimented with different event styles, sizes, formats, and even types of food. In Philadelphia, we’ve had to be more imaginative.

You’ve recently received the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) USA Core Values Award. Can you share what that recognition means to you personally and to CtD?

I view it as a team effort and something that represents our work both in the past and in the future, because it took every single person who has touched Connect the Dots to make that award possible. It’s validation of all the hard work we’ve put into Connect the Dots, especially because this project [Framing the Future of the Roundhouse] epitomized our approach to layered engagement.

IAP2 specifically remarked on our Phase Zero, which is the foundational work we do at the start of every project. During Phase Zero, we engage with people to understand the community, build trust, and establish a mutual understanding from the outset. From there, we collaborate with people to shape the engagement strategy. The fact that IAP2 called out Phase Zero meant a lot to me because it stretches all the way back to the first Connect the Dots event, 10 years ago in Ireland. That event was essentially our own version of Phase Zero, where we spoke to every person who attended and co-created the event with them.

We advocate for layered engagement and Phase Zero, and this recognition will show others the importance of investing in meaningful engagement. It can have a massive impact compared to the typical “tick-the-box” approach. This project and the award show how equitable engagement is a multi-layered, robust, and inclusive process.

What do you think set the firm apart and led to this recognition?

I think by being a very values-first organization. We constantly check our work against our values: Impact-Driven, Inclusive, Creative, People-first, Transparent. We challenge ourselves to espouse those values in our projects and challenge our clients and partners too. Although other people think about Connect the Dots as fresh, innovative, and creative, a lot of that happens as a means to reach those values, to be inclusive and to be people-first, etc.

Looking ahead, how do you envision CtD continuing to grow and evolve over the next 5 years?

Our values will never change. They are what guides us forward. Our vision is focused on how we really make sure that diverse voices are connecting to decision-making processes and doing that in a real and meaningful way. Right now, we’re involved in a lot of work around planning and transportation, economic development, parks and recreation, and sustainability. But we also want to go more into the arts and cultural space and the nonprofit world. We hope to support others and new partners through capacity building and training, to continue doing the work that we’re doing and help more voices be heard because we can’t do it alone. 

As a female business owner, have you faced any unique challenges or experiences in growing CtD, and how have you navigated those obstacles? What advice would you offer to other women looking to start their own businesses?

Always ask questions and don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Since the beginning stages that still has never stopped actually. I talk to other people in similar situations and completely different expertises/fields. That has really broadened my horizon. I didn’t have a business background and that was a challenge. I relied on others through collaboration, partnership, and asking questions. You don’t have to rely on yourself alone. Find mentors – which have always helped me. And then build a team as you can afford it, so you don’t have to keep doing it alone. Without a team, I probably wouldn’t still be doing this. The team has different brains, perspectives, voices, expertise, and support. If you don’t have a team, make partnerships and collaborations so you have a circle of people around you.

And don’t give up! There are new and different challenges every week/month so prepare yourself for when you’ll need to navigate around times that aren’t as rosy. Remind yourself that the impact you make will be worth it.