Smarty Social lands spot on Orange County's Best Places to Work list

Smarty Social was named one of Orange County's 2026 Best Places to Work, with employee feedback driving most of the ranking. The recognition spotlights the healthcare marketing agency's culture as it continues to grow and add outside honors.

Why it matters: - The recognition signals that Smarty Social's employee-first culture is now part of its brand story, alongside its healthcare marketing work. - The ranking can strengthen recruiting, retention and client confidence in a talent-driven agency business. - Employee feedback accounted for about 80% of the overall evaluation score, making the honor a direct measure of workplace experience.

What happened: - Smarty Social was named one of the 2026 Best Places to Work in Orange County. - The Orange County Business Journal and Workforce Research Group created the awards program. - The rankings were published in a special issue of the Orange County Business Journal on July 13, 2026. - Founder and CEO Jami Eidsvold called the award validation of the company's culture and team.

The details: - The awards program evaluates companies in two parts: workplace policies and practices, plus confidential employee surveys. - The selection process is designed to measure workplace culture, employee engagement and organizational excellence. - Smarty Social describes its culture through The Smarty Way, built on Fearless Ownership, Boundless Connection and Intentional Creation. - The company says those values shape how it serves clients, supports employees and drives growth. - Founded in 2013, Smarty Social grew from a one-person consultancy into a 35-person agency. - The agency focuses on healthcare and serves leading healthcare companies and brands. - Smarty Social helps brands use social media to build trust, accelerate adoption and connect innovations with patients and providers. - The company also cited other 2026 honors, including MM+M's Agency 100 "Ones to Watch" list and a Platinum TITAN Health Award for the Invisalign "Game Changers" campaign. - Smarty Social said it also received multiple recognitions from Inc. for growth, business excellence and client partnerships. - More information is available in the company's announcement and on the company's social channels, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Between the lines: - The award fits a broader trend in which agencies use culture awards to signal stability and attract specialized talent. - Smarty Social's mix of healthcare focus and workplace recognition suggests the company is trying to compete on both expertise and internal culture. - The emphasis on employee survey results means the ranking reflects staff sentiment, not just leadership claims.

What's next: - Smarty Social is likely to use the recognition in recruiting, client pitches and future growth efforts. - The company's broader awards streak suggests it will keep positioning itself as a rising healthcare marketing agency. - Continued expansion will test whether The Smarty Way scales as the agency grows beyond 35 employees.