2020: the year of surrender
By Sarah
The question I’ve been chatting to Liz about this morning is:
What do you say in a “Happy holidays!” blog after a year like 2020 without sounding like a trying-too-hard-bit-off-the-mark Hallmark card? All that makes sense to us is to be honest and real.
For me, this year has been about surrender. Never before has a lesson been delivered with such quiet (and sometimes loud) insistence.
There is so much we cannot know about the future. And what can you do but lean into that uncertainty? The not-knowing-ness of it all?
Here’s the wonderful thing about surrender, though. It comes with an unexpected note – or, more accurately, gong – of gratitude. Because, when you completely let go of the need to know what the future holds, there’s nothing to do but an audit of what you do have. What can you count on? What are you grateful for?
At Pomegranite, these were our answers:
Our incredible team
Everything we’ve accomplished in this wild, wild year has been possible because of their hard work, commitment, adaptability, ingenuity, sense of humour, kindness, and talent. Pomegranite is Pomegranite because of the Pomegranites. And man, are we grateful for these wonderful people who we not only respect but also really happen to like!
The ability to grow that team further
Mulesa and Jesse joined us this year and it’s been a joy working with them both.
Our wonderful clients
So many of our clients have had to adapt and pivot this year. We’ve built online courses when lessons in person were no longer possible; we’ve taken conferences online with incredibly exciting results; we’ve developed websites for wonderful projects that are guiding people through these difficult times; we’ve launched projects with clients across the globe, from Ethiopia to the United States to Botswana to the Netherlands.
Our growth in the non-profit and education sectors
A couple years ago, Liz and I set an intention to cultivate working with funders, NGOs and educational institutions. It’s been so exciting to see that direction now define Pomegranite and lead our decision-making when it comes to taking on new clients – something that’s really been cemented this year.
Winning exciting pitches
Being up against big agencies with a long list of awards to their names can make you a little wide-eyed. Knowing that we’re the right fit – and then winning the work – is an exceptional feeling. We can’t wait for the work we get to do in 2021… Stay tuned!
A strong partnership
It’s been such a privilege to steer this ship with Liz during such an unpredictable, challenging, rewarding, rollercoaster of a year. We said at the very beginning of Pomegranite that taking the leap to start your own company feels less scary with two. Running a business during a global pandemic? Same. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved. I’m so grateful for all the ingredients (including a sprinkling of luck) which have resulted in a successful year against all odds.
And thank you for being a part of it. What a doozy!
Have a well-deserved rest. We’ll face all the wonder and challenges that 2021 has in store, together.
Can you take a non-awkward Covid-compliant photo? No. No you cannot.