This year’s blog assignment for PPR Strategies was simple on paper: look back at 2025 and look ahead to 2026. In practice, it’s been anything but simple—in the best possible way.
As I write this, I’m in England, visiting an abbey built in 1229. It was commissioned by a woman whose husband had died, leaving her with eight children. At the time, she was the second-wealthiest woman in England—second only to the Crown—yet she couldn’t legally own property or hold money in her own name. Her solution? She built an abbey and became a nun so she wouldn’t be forced to remarry.
That story stopped me in my tracks.
It’s also a perfect example of why place matters. History isn’t abstract when you’re standing inside it. It’s physical. Emotional. Grounded. And it has something to teach us—if we’re paying attention.
That moment is just one thread in a year filled with travel, exploration, and perspective. In 2025, we’ve spent time in England, Scotland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Spain, Morocco, and plenty of places closer to home across the U.S. Along the way, some places became more than destinations. My partner Bob and I purchased a flat in Bath, England—our second home and a place we’re slowly learning to experience not as tourists, but as residents-in-training. Full-time UK life may be a stretch for now, but a girl can dream.
I don’t naturally spend much time looking backward. I’m wired for what’s next. But 2025 deserves a pause.
Personally, it’s been a year of growth, gratitude, and grounding. Professionally, it’s been a big year for PPR Strategies. I’m incredibly proud of our team and deeply grateful for the clients who trust us—not just as consultants, but as partners. Together, we’re shaping organizations, telling more authentic stories, and strengthening the communities they serve.
As I look ahead to 2026, I’m challenging myself—and inviting you to do the same—to slow down.
Over the holidays, my parents joined us in Bath. One afternoon, we sat in a tea shop and did something radical: we lingered. We talked. We laughed. We planned meals. We learned about pantomime before heading to the theater that evening. At one point, my mom remarked how much she appreciated not rushing through the tea just to get to the next thing. Drinking the tea was the thing. Being together was the thing.
That moment felt like a lesson worth carrying forward.
At PPR Strategies, travel and experience constantly shape how we think about our work. Every place we visit reinforces what we already know as place-based marketing experts: communities are not products. They’re living stories. And the best work happens when we take the time to listen, observe, and connect.
That philosophy shows up in everything we do—from client engagements to projects like the EDO Breakthrough podcast, which continues to be one of the most rewarding storytelling platforms we’re building. Many guests have become friends. Every conversation adds another layer to how we understand leadership, economic development, and place.
One final fun note before I wrap this up: Lacock, England—just down the road from Bath—is where the photograph was first invented. Another reminder that innovation, creativity, and impact often come from unexpected places.
If you’ve made it to the bottom of this post, thank you. I look forward to seeing you, talking with you, and maybe even working with you in 2026.
Here’s to slowing down, paying attention, and letting place lead the way.
Happy New Year.
