Photo: Courtesy of DeNeitra Burnett
How she got her start: After years of working full time in the events industry, Burnett decided to put her MBA to good use and start her own agency. "Savvy Events was born in 2010. At its inception, Savvy focused solely on weddings, but as I was able to put my marketing and events background to work, we transitioned to solely corporate and influencer events by 2015. We became known for our expertise in experiential engagement via marketing activations paired with unrivaled design," she remembers.
During the pandemic, though, Burnett quickly realized she needed to pivot once again and open up new channels for business. "We took the foundational principles we used to design live experiences and added custom mailers to our repertoire, which has now led to working with some of the biggest companies in the world, from Google to Netflix to La Roche-Posay. This led to our full rebrand in 2022 to Savvy Creative Agency, as it’s more reflective of what we offer to those looking for experiential marketing solutions."
What innovation means to her: "Simply put, you won't have a business if you don’t stay innovative and forward-thinking today. There is so much information swarming about the rapid changes technology is bringing into our world. Those daily changes directly impact how we do business—especially when it comes to cultivating unique experiences that make an impression and create lasting memories."
To Burnett, innovation is all about taking risks and experimenting in an effort to push the boundaries. "It means leveraging technology and presentation in new ways, and not being afraid to rework it if your initial iteration is a flop," she explains. "At our agency, we believe in crafting immersive experiences that inspire, delight, and leave a lasting impact on our clients and their guests. And, to be frank, with the level of clientele we’re working with—who attend exclusive events or receive 10-plus mailers a day—you have to do it up in a way that they’re honestly just not expecting, and that’s where innovation comes into play."
How she stays inspired: Burnett describes her family as her "greatest inspiration and blessing. I am so grateful to have the partnership that I do. I created this business with my husband’s unwavering support from the ground up, and our ultimate goal is to show our two young sons that absolutely nothing is impossible if you dream big, over-the-top dreams, and do the work." 
"A highlight from the past year was a holiday press mailer we curated for our client Peacock for the show Baking It. The packaging for the mailer was handcrafted by a local woodmaker, and we added custom foam inserts to house an iconic KitchenAid mixer and all of the ingredients necessary for recipients to create their own cupcakes at home while streaming the show," she recalls. "The mailers generated buzz and excitement for the show on social media and beyond."Photo: Joanne Leung Photography
Career highlights: "My greatest highlight to date is how we have innovated and perfected mailers in a way we haven’t seen done before by any other agency, let alone a Black- and woman-led agency," she says. "We continue to show up to provide our clients with wow-worthy experiences that their guests simply haven’t seen before. I think the highlight here, though, is not only the innovation and client experience but the fact that we took a situation (the pandemic) that threatened to be the demise of what we had built over a decade, and, instead, got creative and added a service that propelled us into seven-figure-business territory."
Burnett notes that she's one of less than 5% of Black female entrepreneurs who have crossed the seven-figure revenue mark. "That is the greatest reward for the decades of hard work we’ve put in, and, ultimately, I truly hope my success inspires other Black women founders to go after what they are capable of and fully deserve."
Her vision for the future of experiential: Burnett describes her vision as "one that is dynamic, innovative, and constantly evolving to meet the changing needs and expectations of consumers. By embracing new technologies, personalization, and sustainability, event producers and designers can create unforgettable experiences that leave a positive impact on guests, clients, and the world around us."
This feature is sponsored by Spiro, the global brand experience agency for the new now. Spiro delivers culture-bending, out-of-this-world live brand experiences that give all your stakeholders a chance to experience your brand long after your event ends.
