Following in the tradition of our annual 25N year-end message, I find this one the hardest of all to even begin. So I will dive right in and say… my heart goes out to those who have lost family members or friends to this pandemic. It’s simply unthinkable. Our businesses are, indeed, impacted, but the true toll it has taken can only be felt through the personal losses, isolation, and health challenges we’ve faced. I am thankful for our essential workers (25N employees included), our healthcare workers, and for all of you who are committed to supporting small businesses and looking to the future.

Here at 25N, I’m in awe of the ways in which our team has poured themselves into making this difficult year a best-case scenario for those we serve and each other.

Our team pivoted when the pandemic struck, and then we found ourselves pivoting again and again — nearly every week! The ideas poured in when we needed to adapt our flexible workspaces into healthy and safe places that would make sense in the midst of government mandates and new guidelines. We are now positioned with a “next-normal” operating model, thanks to our dedicated and flexible team.

One of these major pivot points, in fact, was growth. As unexpected as it was, we welcomed seven new employees this year and launched a new coworking space — The Loop — in Alexandria, VA. We were also privileged to work on new location opportunities in the Dallas, D.C., and Chicago suburbs that we expect will come to fruition in 2021 — stand by!

Another pivot was evolution: we launched new executive & corporate tiers for more effective leadership in this new, virtual ethos. The transition was instrumental in timely responses to new information in a season of growth — we could tackle urgent pandemic matters at a moment’s notice while continuing work on important initiatives to propel our company forward.

Cheers to all of our new employees and those promoted into corporate leadership roles: Katie Reilly and Sari Lash!

It’s also difficult to express just how touched I was to witness our community of members and friends who dove into brainstorming with, volunteering, or advocating for those who could use a helping hand.

Whether it was providing education on pandemic relief packages for businesses or spreading hope through virtual get-togethers, we helped each other. I am so proud of the people — our members, employees, local communities, friends, and family — that I’ve had the privilege of working alongside through this tough year.

My New Year’s wish is for you and yours a year filled with hope and healing!

In gratitude,

Mara

Let’s ride this out — together — with hope & healing.