Our Season of Growth
Lauren Cook, Founder
In hindsight, we scattered a lot of seeds in 2025, even when we didn’t see it that way.
We invited the first small groups to gather in our cozy meeting room around topics of interest.
I pitched the idea to Charlotte to do a podcast together.
Our COS team wondered what a presence on Instagram may look like–a format that never felt right for our client-based work, but started to vibe with COS gatherings and storytelling.
I (repeatedly) voiced into the universe my longing for part-time help with our digital channels.
And we scattered seeds of friendships, networks, and professional relationships. We met folks who would later refer projects to us or become our clients.
And now well into 2026, we’re seeing blooms.
Even though some seeds—honestly, some of the most fruitful ones—felt like a long shot or an idea some would consider less strategic or savvy, we scattered them anyway to see if they would grow. And indeed, many have taken root.
We’re five episodes in, and listeners have told us the podcast is:
“deep and reflective."
“it was like having y’all in the room with me."
“it left me wanting more!”
In Episode 5 of the Connecting Our Stories Podcast, Lauren and Charlotte dig deep into self-worth tied to work output.
Our Instagram is beautiful and growing.
We’ve hosted more than 20 in-person gatherings in the past year.
Our professional networks are growing, but with more intention and deeper connections. We’re attending fewer high-profile, surface-level events and instead find ourselves at coffees and Zooms with colleagues we really want to know, support, and collaborate with more deeply.
And without posting the part-time digital connections role anywhere, I sat down at a recent conference right next to a lovely soul (and fellow UT English major) who was perfect for the job. And now we welcome our newest team member, Duaa Zulfiqar, Digital Connections Consultant. We’re excited to see you bloom at COS, Duaa!
So whereas it may have seemed like we were throwing our 2025 seeds into the wind, unsure if they would take hold (or if they were duds—some were!), we’re super grateful for the 2026 blooms.
What are you seeing bloom in 2026 that you can look back on as a 2025 seed? Anything you thought was a weed turn out to be a beauty? What seeds are you planting now? I like the idea that there are seeds underfoot, waiting for me to tend to them at the right time. It gives me hope about what will spring up next year when I least expect it.
Welcome, Duaa Zulfiqar! We look forward to learning from you and with you.