Entering 2026 Without Complete Optimism—And Finding It Anyway
To say it's been quite a year would be an understatement. Morgan DeBaun, CEO of Blavity and a Next Gen Colleague, said something in September that has stayed with me: "Running a company during COVID was easier than running a company in this environment."
As leaders, we're often expected to project unwavering confidence. But I'm going to be honest, this is one of the first years I'm entering the next without complete optimism. Maybe it's the uncertainty about whether one small business can truly thrive right now. Maybe it's the relentless conversation around AI and tech companies treating creativity as a disposable commodity that they believe they can simply democratize. Maybe it's the consolidation sweeping the marketing industry. Or maybe it's watching academic institutions falter just as I enter the final stretch of my PhD.
As an Angeleno, I watched LA face a brutal start to 2025—devastating wildfires followed by policies and resources that failed to meet the moment.
It's hard not to feel like 2026 will bring more of the same, even as the calendar turns.
But here's what kept us grounded: the people. That's what pulled me through, personally and professionally, watching people step up in every way this year. A powerful reminder that even when institutions falter, people remain constant.
Looking back on the work Team Friday advanced this year, I'm grateful we connected people to what matters. We connected youth to suicide prevention resources. We helped families navigate early childhood education options and learned what parents actually need to feel confident in messaging. We uplifted Black infant health awareness, safe sleep practices, and doula services. We supported small business recovery through our Small Business Insurance Deductible Fund and stood alongside organizations advocating for communities affected by unjust policies. Our work has always centered on making messaging and creative empowering and grounded in human connection.
We also showed up. We were at Association of National Advertisers events focused on multicultural and national advertising, Ad Age's Small Agency Conference, and the Own It conference. I spoke at Google about AI's impact on small businesses. I made it to DC to discuss small business policy with fellow owners and lawmakers including representative Judy Chu, Senator Adam Schiff, and my favorite tortilla roller, Senator Alex Padilla. I testified on business inclusion policies for media companies before the California State Senate's Minority Economic Development Committee, chaired by Senator Susan Rubio.
Sonja Brown, Michelle O’Grady, Stephanie Clabby of Monday, and Rigo Gonzalez at the ANA Conference.
Humanity in the age of AI was a through line in nearly every conversation this year. How do we preserve what's human in an era of technological acceleration? For Team Friday, that question has never been theoretical— connecting people has always been our compass, not a value we had to explore.
Speaking at Google at Pier 57.
As a PhD candidate in Human and Organizational Development, I spend a lot of time thinking about people and society as systems. I push our team to do the same. I'm excited to share more in the new year about what we've been researching and what demographic shifts companies need to prepare for. The opportunities for impact aren't becoming more siloed— they're becoming more fluid.
Change is constant. Humans will always develop. People are understanding their power. As we shed this Year of the Snake, we have a rare opportunity to mount up for the Year of the Horse and shape the world we want—one where everyone has support, nourishment, and belonging.
The optimism I was looking for? As I finished this post, it turns out it was here all along — in the work, in the people, in what's possible.
And I hope you'll join us in building what comes next.
- Michelle
