What We’re Carrying Forward

Every year leaves its fingerprints on how we work, think, and show up. Some years do it gently. Others leave a deeper mark.

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re feeling grateful, a little tired, and most importantly hopeful. This was a year of recalibration and resilience. A year where progress sometimes whispered instead of shouted. Where learning came from paying attention, staying curious, and being willing to adjust course mid-stream.

So, in true 5 by 5 Design fashion, we paused to reflect. Below are five lessons that shaped our year and are guiding how we head into 2026, with steadier footing, clearer priorities, and a renewed belief that thoughtful work and good people still matter.

Process makes progress (and yes, it really does get better)

With a year filled with various real challenges, both personally and professionally, we were stretched in ways we didn’t anticipate, making forward motion feel downright difficult at times.  2025 reminded us that not all growth is obvious in the moment. Some days were about putting one foot in front of the other and trusting that forward is still forward. When things felt heavy or uncertain, our process became an anchor, helping us stay focused, make decisions, and keep momentum alive. Progress doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. Stick with the process long enough, and you eventually look back and realize just how far you’ve come.

Growth lives outside your bubble

This year, we stretched, bringing in new partners and employees, collaborating with new voices, and stepping into spaces that felt unfamiliar at first. Some experiments worked beautifully. Others taught us what not to do next time, which is also valuable. At the same time, we said goodbye to a few long-time collaborators and clients as they retired or pivoted into new chapters. The takeaway? Networks need tending. Growth requires curiosity, humility, and a willingness to reach beyond what feels comfortable.

Small wins keep you going

New kinds of projects, a growing team, and opportunities that pushed us beyond what felt familiar defined a lot of our work this year. Those choices helped us grow, but they also made the work feel bigger and more complex at times. Big goals can be energizing, but they can also feel daunting. One thing that grounded us this year was intentionally noticing the small stuff, a solid meeting, a meaningful connection, a project moving one step closer to done. Those moments add up. Celebrating small wins keeps momentum alive, builds confidence, and reminds you that success is happening, even when the finish line feels far away.

People make the work better

The work is only as strong as the people behind it. At the heart of everything we do are people, with their experiences, perspectives, and whole, complicated selves. This year, the importance of trust, shared values, and real connection became even clearer. Great work happens when people feel supported, respected, and empowered to prioritize what matters to them. When values align and autonomy is honored, the work gets better, and so does the experience of doing it.

Numbers matter, but context matters more

We love data. We also know it doesn’t tell the whole story. This year reminded us to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. A project can be profitable and still not be the right fit. Strong sales don’t always equal profitability if expenses go up from investing in new things to get the job done. The healthiest decisions balance metrics with long-term impact, team wellbeing, and clarity about what success really looks like.

As we head into 2026, we’re carrying these lessons with us, clearer about what matters, more confident in our process, and optimistic about what’s possible when thoughtful strategy meets human-centered work.

Wishing you a hopeful, steady, and meaningful year ahead. Happy New Year from all of us at 5 by 5 Design.