With Gratitude: A 2025 Reflection from Glade Run Designs

As this year comes to a close, I’ve found myself pausing more often than usual, not to plan the next thing, but to really sit with everything that happened in 2025. This year wasn’t just busy. It was meaningful. It was brave. And it was the year Glade Run Designs truly became what I always hoped it could be.

When January rolled around, I had one clear goal in mind:
To be full-time in this business by the end of the year.

What I didn’t expect was how much growth, support, and opportunity would come along the way, or that I’d reach that milestone early, stepping into Glade Run Designs full-time in October. That moment didn’t happen overnight. It happened because of every client who trusted me, every project that pushed me, and every person who believed in this business right alongside me.

This post is my way of saying thank you and taking a moment to reflect on what a truly full and fulfilling year this has been.

A Year That Started With a Huge Personal Milestone

In May of 2025, I graduated from Ohio Dominican University, and that moment changed more than just my resume. It gave me the confidence to fully claim the work I was already doing and the clarity to step into Glade Run Designs with intention.

Graduating meant I could say yes to more opportunities. It meant I could show up more consistently for my clients. And it meant I could finally devote the time and energy this business deserved.

From that point on, everything started to build.

Building the Foundation (and Learning as I Went)

Early in the year, much of my focus was on creating strong systems, supporting growing brands, and stepping into more comprehensive marketing roles.

One of the biggest examples of that growth was Devoted Ohio. Supporting the transition from Devoted Columbus to a statewide brand meant managing social media, email marketing, print materials, and administrative tasks, all while helping shape a platform that now serves couples across Ohio. It was challenging in the best way and incredibly rewarding to watch it evolve.

Alongside that, I continued supporting Alco-Haul Mobile Bar and Wedding Pros Collective, handling full marketing and administrative needs. These partnerships reinforced how powerful it can be when businesses trust someone to truly take marketing off their plate.

Projects That Felt Especially Close to Home

Some of this year’s work was meaningful not just professionally, but personally.

One of my favorite projects was working again with the Barnyard Barons 4-H Club in August and September. As a repeat client, I created custom banners for each child and project at the Delaware County Fair, along with thank-you banners for members. Having been raised in 4-H and on my family farm, this project meant more than words can really explain. Watching the club grow during its inaugural year in 2024 and continuing that growth into 2025 was something I’ll always cherish.

Another project close to my heart was beginning work with Community Training Ohio (CTO) in July. The owners, Tara and Joel, have supported me since 2021, back when Glade Run Designs started as a crochet business, and my products were sold in Catherine Street Mercantile. Our families have long been connected, and Tara, being a fellow Madison-Plains alum, made this partnership feel extra special. Being trusted with their social media marketing was truly an honor.

Seeing Strategy Turn Into Real Impact

One of the most impactful projects of the year began in August with Good Samaritan Home Healthcare. They had been operating for years but had never had a consistent brand or marketing plan in place. Together, we created a new logo, built and launched a website, and implemented a clear marketing strategy.

Within the first week of launching the website and distributing print materials, they gained over 30 new clients, so many that they needed to hire additional staff. Watching that kind of growth happen so quickly was one of the proudest moments of my year and a reminder of why thoughtful marketing matters.

Fall Momentum & a Major Milestone

As fall approached, projects continued to pick up. I designed Class of 2026 yard signs for multiple local schools: Madison-Plains High School, London High School, Tolles Career and Technical Center, and Southeastern High School. Every time I pass one of those signs, I still get excited.

I also created campaign yard signs for Brenton Robertson’s Township Trustee race, and seeing him win his seat was incredibly rewarding. In October, I worked with Absolute Basement & Foundations to design and print 1,000 door hangers to help increase local visibility.

And then came October, the month I officially went full-time with Glade Run Designs.

That moment felt surreal. It was exciting, emotional, and deeply validating. What started as a creative side project had grown into a business I could fully stand behind.

Closing the Year With Gratitude and New Beginnings

Toward the end of the year, I began supporting Devoted Oklahoma, expanding into new markets, and started social media management for Good Vibes Winery in November, my fourth project with this owner and one I’m incredibly grateful for. It feels like the beginning of another exciting chapter.

Throughout the year, I also completed a wide range of additional projects, including birthday and graduation banners (one even sent to Georgia), a table runner design for Divine Joy Tattoos, soccer banners for London Future Stars Soccer and Kiwanis London Area Soccer, a logo refresh for Lambiante, a 25-page applicant summary for Wright-Patt Credit Union, and a candidate presentation presented in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Every project mattered. Every client mattered.

With Deep Gratitude

If you worked with me in any capacity this year, whether it was a full-scale marketing partnership, a single design project, a banner for a fair, a yard sign, or something behind the scenes, please know how deeply grateful I am for you.

You didn’t just hire a service.
You trusted me with your ideas, your goals, your timelines, and your brands. That trust is something I never take lightly.

To my clients: thank you for believing in my work, for allowing me to grow alongside your businesses, and for cheering me on as Glade Run Designs continued to evolve. Every project, no matter the size, played a role in shaping this year and in helping me reach a milestone I once only dreamed about.

To those who have supported me quietly, by sharing my posts, referring my name, checking in, encouraging me, or simply reminding me that this path was worth pursuing: thank you. Your support mattered more than you may ever realize.

And to the community that continues to surround this business, friends, family, fellow creatives, small business owners, and partners: thank you for being part of this journey. Glade Run Designs exists because of connection, collaboration, and care.

This year changed my life in ways I’m still processing, and I don’t take a single part of it for granted.

Cheers to you for the trust, the belief, and the opportunity to do work that truly matters.
And cheers to everything we’ll create together next.

Photos by Gracie Farmer Photography