This year has probably been the best year for my business so far.
2025 is a year when my daughter is now in school and I’ve been able to fully think about my business as more than a hobby that earns money, and think about how it can grow or where it can go.
Through networking I’ve met more businesses and collaborated. My website has gone live and I’ve had my first client from it.
Through launching my website I’ve discovered the joy that is blog writing – I have so many blog ideas so keep your eyes peeled as whenever I get time I will be putting more thoughts out there!
I’ve helped more local businesses, I’ve got involved with my local community and can see the potential for being able to do more – the future is exciting both close to home and remotely (it’s great being a graphic designer in 2025 and being able to do both!).
Being part of the Far West Business Network (yes I designed their logo too!) has helped my business grow enormously. One of my biggest and proudest projects this year was being asked to design a map for St Just and surrounding area for St Just Town Council via their steering group. Drawing maps has always been one of my favourite things to do, and I have seen so many bad town maps in my time (mostly through not being able to find my way around!), so it was a real privilege to be asked and be able to create something truly unique but most importantly functional, lovely to look at and sustainable going forward. I have had so many lovely comments from the steering group and the wider public, it is something I am really really proud of!
I have also formed a fantastic collaboration with the FWBN’s founder – Emily Tarrant, who runs Webfooted Designs, a local web design company. Through working with her I have designed the new website for Gifted Women – having someone alongside me with the technical know-how has given me the freedom to be truly creative without worrying too much about the ‘how’. It has been extremely rewarding and I’m so excited to add another string to my bow creatively and to see where this collaboration will go next!
This year I’ve designed two international logos – the IAAM logo (International Alliance of Accessible Music) formed by The Music Man Project and Allegro Moderato to help reverse perceptions of disability through music education and performance (see my blog here for how I designed the logo). I’ve also designed the Classical Guitar World Cup 2026 logo for Ben Salfield of Kernow Concerts, the world’s first and biggest online classical guitar competition. Working for one of my longest standing clients, The Music Man Project, I have designed a poster for their next major perfomance which will be on Broadway in October 2026 – this has been a long time coming and will be very exciting to know my work will be seen in New York!
Another significant moment has been refurbishing my office area. Up until this year I had been working on an old kitchen worktop balanced on two sets of office drawers in our dark, damp spare room, which was also used as a playroom, dumping ground, additional wardrobe and general place to put things that didn’t have a home! In July we emptied the room completely (moving myself and my office to the dining table!), took off the roof and installed two skylights and insulated the room whereever we could.
In September I moved back in to a beautiful, bright, warm office space, with a proper desk, shelving and storage, which now has a sea view and so much light it lights up the downstairs of the house too! I hadn’t realised how much my work environment affected my mindset and attitude, how the clutter fogs my thinking, and the dampness just got me down and made it a space I didn’t want to be in. Now I feel very professional, clean, tidy and not embarressed when I have meetings!
My association with the Far West Business Network has continued throughout the year, and I have been brought on board more officially as part of the organisational team. In November we hosted our first evening networking event, which was hugely successful and a great opportunity to meet more of the people behind the businesses in this area who can’t get to the monthly daytime meetings. It felt extremely positive and along with the new Chamber of Commerce being formed and the established Tin Coast Partnership, being a small business in this very unique part of the world feels very supported, and very much part of a thriving, busy community full of ideas of how to encourage growth, connection and resources for each other.
For me, a good year for my business is not about revenue or turnover (I think it has been a better year for that too) – 2025 has been brilliant for me as a person and the people I have helped – and I feel like my business is finally becoming a little more than a hobby I get paid for. I feel like I am part of the community I live in and I know my work has had a positive impact on so many people locally and remotely. That is the reward, that is the mark by which I measure if I have had a good year.
I continue to learn, I continue to be open to new ideas and approaches, I continue to broaden my connections and associations and do what I love – meet new people, find out who they are, their stories, and how I can help them with the skills, experience and expertise I possess.
Thank you to all my clients and associates, and to all the people who follow me on social media for making 2025 pretty remarkable.
Here’s to 2026!!
