January always feels like a quiet inhale before the year exhales all at once. Before things get noisy again, I wanted to pause, look back at where the last year actually took me and share a bit of where things are headed next.
2025, in Motion
Last year began with a simple, slightly terrifying goal: build something from the ground up.
Orbit Studios officially launched its home on the web — a place to articulate not just what I do, but how I think. Alongside it came a clearer set of offerings — DesignInfinity, BrandSprint, and SocialLift — designed to meet clients where they are, whether that’s a full brand build, a focused creative push, or ongoing support.
Trajectory launched alongside it. First as a Substack experiment, then quickly becoming something more meaningful. A place to think out loud about design, branding, culture, and creativity. A way to connect, yes, but also a way to sharpen my own point of view and share work beyond the constraints of decks and deliverables. It now lives both on Substack and mirrored on the Orbit site, and the response has been energizing.
The freelance year itself was busy in the best way. New clients. New brands. New problem spaces. Projects ranged from agency partnerships to brand and campaign work touching names like Mosaic North America, Jamz Marketing, ALCiT, and ongoing creative with Globe Productions, with brand worlds that included Canada Dry, Mott’s Clamato, Spiked Snapple, Minute Rice, Dr. Oetker (Ristorante) and Tilda.
Alongside brand and agency work, I also leaned into more illustrative, cartoony commissions. The kind of projects that remind you why you fell in love with drawing in the first place. There was a playful, custom comic created to celebrate a first wedding anniversary, and a wedding illustration where two grooms stood at the altar while their dogs looked on from behind, offering perfectly timed commentary. These weren’t side quests so much as proof of concept: Orbit could flex, adapt, and deliver joy as much as strategy — and in a year where everything was on the table, that felt like a quiet win.
Midway through the year, things shifted.
A leadership opportunity pulled me back into a more embedded, agency-style creative role — one focused on guiding teams, shaping systems, and navigating a new category where learning, storytelling, and clarity matter deeply. It changed how my time is structured, and it subtly changed the role Trajectory plays: less about chasing the next brief, more about developing a point of view, exploring ideas, and thinking publicly about where creative work is headed.
Outside the studio, the creative thread kept weaving.
I co-directed Songs for a New World with Globe Productions in June, my first time stepping into a director’s chair after performing in 18 musicals. Later in the year, I returned to the stage myself in The Prom as Sheldon. And looking ahead, I’ll be directing I Love You Because solo in June 2026 at the Old Armoury in Georgetown — with auditions kicking off this winter.
Planet Joey continued its slow, stubborn, deeply personal march forward. New strips, old story arcs rewritten with fresh eyes, and continued print appearances in A Kid and a Comic. A lot of behind-the-scenes work this year — less flashy, but necessary — as I prepare for syndicate submissions and the next phase of that project.
Trajectory itself found a rhythm. Designing the Multiverse. Rapid Reactions. Tiny Giants. DesignNova. Orbit30. Some posts landed harder than I expected, including a Great Lakes illustration that took on a life of its own, and a deep dive into the design language of Zohran Mamdani’s campaign that sparked thoughtful conversation well beyond the design bubble.
Looking Ahead to 2026
This year feels less like a reset and more like a tightening of focus.
On the theatre side, I Love You Because becomes the next big creative mountain — and I’m excited to shape a full production from the ground up.
Planet Joey moves closer to its next chapter, with plans to launch on Substack as well — building a direct connection with readers that isn’t at the mercy of algorithms — alongside a refreshed Patreon with clearer tiers and more intentional bonus content.
Trajectory will continue, but with deeper dives. More writing around AI as a creative partner, not a replacement. More thinking about adult learning, engagement, and how design actually changes behaviour. More reflection through Orbit30 as I work through my 30th year in the world of professional design. And, of course, continued DesignNova, Multiverse experiments, and Rapid Reactions as the design world keeps spinning.
There are also conversations unfolding around education and mentorship — about teaching, sharing experience, and staying connected to the next generation of designers — that feel like a meaningful throughline rather than a side quest. More on that when the timing’s right.
And professionally, 2026 is about hitting stride: leading well, learning fast, and bringing clarity and momentum to teams navigating increasingly complex creative terrain.
Thanks for being here. For reading, responding, sharing, and challenging ideas along the way. If any of this resonates, I hope you’ll keep following along. There’s more to unpack, more to build, and plenty more to say.
