Carolyn’s 2025 wrap up
This year, the business I started at age 29, with loose plans (certainly not a Plan B), precisely zero clients, and a handful of wonderful freelancer friends who became my Little Village, made it into double-digit territory.
I didn’t even have a desk back then, let alone an office. It was equal parts exhilarating, terrifying and neck-pain-inducing at the time. But if there’s one thing that will always motivate me, it’s the potential of a blank canvas, and endless possibility ahead.
It kind of blows my mind that we’ve landed here. And in reflecting on where we’ve come from, Little Village Creative isn’t the same agency it was back in 2015. It’s been through three or four reinventions since then, each one nudged into existence by curiosity, necessity and the people around us. What started as a solo creative practice has evolved into a team of experienced, strategic marketing experts who are deeply passionate about helping our clients become legendary category-busters.
I’m genuinely pumped for what’s ahead. Year 11. A very lucky number, according to the numerologists. Having laid the groundwork for a whole lot of cool stuff in 2026, here’s what I’m proud of this year.
Pursuing the right kind of growth.
Growth, to me, isn’t about endless expansion. It’s about taking on the right work, working with the right people, and building an agency in a way that’s sustainable (that’s what keeps it fun).
In 2025, we made some pretty clear-cut decisions about the kinds of teams and businesses we wanted to work with, and took the action we needed to. We based this decision 100% around how we were treated, because great work doesn’t happen in an agency when you’re fighting broken systems and bad behaviour on the other side.
We built up our portfolio of values-aligned clients across tech, enterprise, ecommerce, food and beverage, consulting and more. Some of these clients have been part of our journey for years, while others joined us more recently. All of them remind me why I love doing this work, and why I started LVC all those years ago.
Every project, whether big, small, complex or quirky, had one thing in common: the opportunity to help our clients become category-busters, not just trotting out the same tired marketing playbook as their competitors are doing.
And in November, we wrapped the year with a pitch win that I genuinely cannot wait to share more about in 2026. It’s a goodie!
Launching our Freelance Hub.
Another highlight this year was launching our Freelancer Hub in September.
I started this as a side project after chatting with some of our Villagers and reflecting on my own career in account service. I know how hard it can be to put your account management hat on when you’re a freelancer. When you’re going solo, you’re trying to do great creative work, and you’re also dealing with all the stuff that comes up when the buck stops with you. It’s a tough juggle.
Freelancers have been at the heart of Little Village Creative since day one, so it felt right to build something practical to support them.
We’ll be expanding the Freelance Hub in 2026 and beyond, with more tools, templates, advice and support designed for the modern creative freelancer/ Watch this space.
Our biggest awards haul to date.
Awards aren’t the reason we do what we do, but they’re a lovely reminder that good work resonates.
This year, we celebrated our biggest Indigo Awards tally to date:
7 Golds and 2 Silvers for our Essential Catering & Events brand refresh
1 Bronze for illustration in Graphic Design for our 2024 end-of-year card by Janelle Burger
A huge congratulations to our clients and collaborators who helped bring these projects to life.
Speaking of cards…
If you know us well, you’ll know that every December comes with a Little Village Creative tradition. A bespoke end-of-year card illustrated by an artist we adore.
This year’s card (below) was created by long-time friend of the Village Mel Baxter (aka Moonshine Madness). Mel is known for her whimsical, nostalgia-inspired illustrations of flora and fauna, and she created something truly special to help us celebrate our first decade in business.
Also, if you love an easter egg, you might spot:
A couple of nods to one of our clients, Australia’s Manuka
A little wink to New Zealand Christmases (my homeland)
And my fluffy cat Fungus tucked in amongst…the fungus
As I close out this tenth year of business, I’m feeling incredibly grateful. For my team, our clients, our villagers, partners, and friends who’ve been part of this journey in ways big and small.
Here’s to the next decade of cool ideas, building category-busting brands, and nurturing a Little Village that keeps growing in all the right ways.
Carolyn Stebbing
Chief Villager
