As the holiday season draws near, Osborne’s Principals and Senior Advisors reflect on a year of milestones, challenges, and meaningful connections. The festive season reminds us of the power of tradition—whether it’s gathering around the table, creating memories with family and friends, or finding a quiet moment to recharge.
From all of us at Osborne Interim Management, our heartfelt wishes for a joyful holiday season filled with laughter, peace, and renewal. May 2025 bring fresh opportunities, rewarding partnerships, and the continued pursuit of shared successes.
The more tenured one gets in business the more you appreciate individuals who reinvent themselves and pivot personally and/or professionally. I’ve certainly seen this a lot through my past work in the not-for-profit and charitable sector where I’ve had the privilege of working with individuals who could be paid much more in the private sector but gain more gratification through their work for others.
Did you go back to school this year? Take an extension course to stay current? Learn a new language? Spend more time volunteering? There is a brand-new year ahead and plenty of time left. Regret is the most useless of all emotions so don’t go there.
I especially love seeing this ability to adapt and learn on the fly with young people. At one of my clients, a young woman who graduated with a degree in agriculture and started out as a biotechnology research assistant has fallen in love with communications and his now handling all stakeholder touchpoints and social media with an eye to taking a business communications course next year.
I see it with experienced executives on our team all the time. They spent most of their working life in a specific industry sector and yet surprise themselves with their ability to walk into a completely different business environment and add value for their clients
Why is it that we often say, “they’ll be fine, they’re kids, they’ll adapt”. What happened along the way to remove that risk taking gene from so many of us?
Dare to do something different in 2025 or do what you’ve been doing, differently!
Each year brings new promise and each year surprises us with things we didn’t, or were not adequately prepared to, expect. Each year fills us with hope and each year will cause us to grieve in some way – the loss of a client, the loss of a loved one, the loss of something important. We grapple with it all by striving to make the most of each precious moment – in anticipation and sometimes, in despair. So went 2024 and so too will the cycle repeat in 2025.
It’s not to be avoided, but rather embraced. Feeling the emotions of hope and taking time to occasionally grieve and reflect, let us find meaning and acceptance, drive, and the other influencers of our future journeys. Enabling success and letting us enjoy the ride. It’s honest. It motivates and provides relief, or when avoided, it consumes and creates difficulties.
Each year is just a collection of moments. It’s what we do with them that matters. Moments create memories. Memories we can embrace and hold close; but never so close as to prevent us from experiencing what is still to come. Memories we learn from – grow with – and use to make the next part of our trip a bit easier. Memories that give everything meaning.
The coming year will be interesting to say the least. We humans don’t love change and there will be lots of it. Uncertainty for all, and anxiety for some. But also, opportunity. There will be moments for you to shine. There will be times when you will want or need to reach out and lean on others for help. At others times, you will need to be mentors and the supporters of others who are always watching what we do.
As we enjoy the blessings of the season of Peace, remember that hope is one of your KPIs, that time for reflections is critical, that we will need the help of others from time to time, and somebody is always watching. If we can help you with any of your 2025 challenges, know we’re happy to help you achieve your best in the coming years. It’s going to be a great year!
As I look back on 2024, I’m reminded the past twelve months have been a time of remarkable experiences, personal achievements, and meaningful connections.
One of my most cherished highlights was finally realizing an eight-year dream: I took my daughters to Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam. Celebrating our milestone birthdays—my 50th, and their 13th and 16th—in Europe was more than just a family vacation. It was an opportunity to show them a world beyond North America, immersing ourselves in new cultures, cuisines, and histories.
Though I stepped back from the competitive bodybuilding stage this year, my passion for fitness hasn’t waned. I continued training with determination, pushing my personal limits and celebrating new strength milestones, including a one-rep max personal best of a 260lb deadlift and a 247lb squat! (keep in mind I’m a small 5’2″) These achievements remind me that no matter our age, we can still chase new goals and build muscle (so important, especially as we age).
Creativity has also found new space in my life. This year I rediscovered my love for art, spending more hours painting, sketching, and experimenting with digital mediums.
Looking ahead to 2025, I’m excited to continue exploring new destinations, pursuing creative outlets, and supporting the clients who trust me with their marketing needs. My hope is that we can all embrace gratitude and approach each day with a growth mindset, recognizing that every step forward—whether in travel, fitness, art, or friendship—brings us closer to our fullest potential.
Wishing you all a fulfilling, adventurous, and growth-filled new year.
My hope for a new calendar year is always for improved business conditions which present opportunities. While the conclusion of the US election should reduce uncertainty in policy direction, ironically I’m most certain that uncertainty for many businesses has grown. Short term gains will be welcomed by chosen winners, although the impact of protectionist tactics and restricted trade won’t help the workings of the “invisible hand of the free market”. All the more reason for businesses to be on their A-game, manage risk, and pivot when necessary. A silver lining may be the push to explore diversified customers previously ignored. If that sounds like incremental work for an already busy management team, perhaps interim or fractional management and advisory services can help.
Well the last page of the 2024 calendar is showing and it’s always a good time for reflection. I’ve enjoyed 2024 and the goals and challenges that came with it. I’m thankful to work with a great group of colleagues at Osborne and the professional manner that they present themselves.
May you and yours find the joy and peace of the Christmas season.
As we reflect on the year gone by and look ahead to 2025, we recognize the challenges that have tested us and the resilience that has carried us through. Though uncertainty will always be with us, it brings with it opportunities for growth, innovation, and renewal. Let the new year inspire your courage to face what lies ahead. May you continue to search for peace in your life and allow the spirit of love to guide you.
Wishing you and your families all the very best for a happy healthy and prosperous New Year. As I reflect on the year, I feel such gratitude for our country, with all its lovely imperfections, the year, with its ups and downs, and the promise of the future, with its hope and anxieties. May you experience the best, withstand the worst, and come out smiling. Happy Holidays!
I have always enjoyed Christmas and the excitement that the holiday season brings – connecting with family and friends, identifying and wrapping those special gifts, and enjoying some unscheduled time to relax and just do “stuff” or do nothing at all. It’s often a healthy change of pace and a time to reflect on many things and take stock. For me, 2024 was a busy year working with some new clients and teams who do amazing and impactful work in the not-for-profit sector. It’s energizing to assist these groups toward achieving their mandates. I believe having these experiences and appreciating all the good that’s happening around us is very important when there is so much “noise” and “chaos” going on in other parts of our world.
My wish for everyone is that we celebrate another year of the peace and abundance that we all enjoy in Canada, and anticipate much the same in 2025!
My holiday wish for our Osborne community:
In a time of uncertainty, may you find calm; in a time of volatility, may you find peace; in a time of contention may you find your heart; in a time of prosperity may you find your generosity; in a time of need may you find your strength.
As the year comes to a close, it’s tempting to dwell on events like those in Ukraine, Gaza, and the massive geopolitical shifts we’ve witnessed in 2024, but that feels too disheartening. Instead, I’d like to focus on the positives in my life.
2024 was a good year for interim work with a continuation of my business transformation and technology role with a global tech business. Family is all well and thriving.Lots of enjoyable travel this year, both on business and for leisure. I had a unique opportunity to ride the Pacific Divide trail from Canada to Mexico with my son on off-road motorcycles – a real gift to spend time with him and an exciting 6,500km trip. Fitness has shown an up-tick with more time spent hiking and biking. Osborne has gone from strength to strength with more advisors, many new assignments and a new website. Great to see a charity I was associated with in the UK going from strength to strength; an old friend is launching an exciting new tech business in the AI space and I’m really enjoying podcasts, Formula 1 and my various professional engagements.
It’s certainly an eclectic mix of personal positives I have for 2024 but I hope this list serves as a reminder to readers to reflect on the good things in your own lives and also to look forward with enthusiasm to 2025. Best wishes of the season to all my friends, colleagues and clients.
As we look ahead to 2025, I wish for a world where communication bridges divides and fosters meaningful connections. A world where understanding drives collaboration, where every voice is valued, and where dialogue becomes the foundation for innovation and progress.
May the coming year be one of clarity, trust, and shared purpose, bringing us closer together as we work toward a brighter and more connected future.
Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a prosperous year ahead.
May you experience the overflowing warmth of love and abundant joy during this holiday seasons. More success in 2025. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wishing you all a joyous Holiday Season! This is the perfect time to reflect on the past year and look forward to new beginnings.
This year was particularly emotional for me as I lost my mum at 89 years old. I miss her dearly and still have many questions I wish to ask her. Leaning into my emotions, I used my planning skills to organize a heartfelt celebration of her life. Afterward, I took some much-needed time off, finding solace in the mountains and enjoying a memorable summer vacation with my family. I treasure every moment spent with my kids, now 20 and 17, and am profoundly grateful for our life in Canada.
Collaborating with others and evaluating organizations in 2024 has been truly exciting, especially as these organizations emphasize continual improvement. By bringing people together for productive change, I’ve had the privilege of serving clients and witnessing their growth. This experience has inspired me to embrace a similar focus on improvement in both my professional and personal journey.
All the very best for 2025!
In 2024, while working on a long-term hydrogen project and supporting my family through life’s inevitable transitions — from the joyful anticipation of a wedding to accompanying my mother on her journey with Alzheimer’s — I was reminded of the importance of taking decisive steps to build a better future.
For 2025, my hope is that we all recognize the power of partnership, joining forces across industries and communities to turn our shared vision of a sustainable world into reality. Let’s continue to innovate, pushing forward with solutions that create a cleaner, more resilient future for those we love.
Wishing all my business contacts and Osborne colleagues a happy Christmas and a fulfilling year ahead.
As 2024 draws to a close, here’s wishing that the holiday season brings respite to all of you from the multitude of worries and anxieties that we all endure during these tumultuous times. Gathering together with friends and loved ones during this time brings one a peace and calmness not always found at other times of the year.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
2024 was a game changer!
To reactivating my inner entrepreneurial spirit and courage, which had been snoozing since my late 20s.
To having a successful heart procedure that felt like rebooting a laptop to solve the problem.
To getting engaged to the love of my life, who has shown me what unconditional love feels like.
To adopting a rescue pooch from Mexico, the final puzzle piece to the additional energy in our home.
To my son’s incredible growth in his mind, body, soul, his athletics, and education—he’s basically a superhero now.
To how all my new beginnings, deeper connections, and a new partnership came to be.
Gratitude is the cornerstone of my re-wired internal operating system, which I update daily to help surf life’s waves with greater ease and flow, thanks to the unwavering support of my fiancé every step of the way.
Now it’s my favourite time of year so my inner Clark Griswold and Ted Lasso are in full swing this Christmas season!
My wish for anyone reading this is to make your moments count as you wrap up 2024. Do something that makes you uncomfortable without knowing what’s on the other side: One small step, whatever that is for you. Then get after 2025 and take action on your desires, declarations and commitments.
Lastly, I’m excited to say I’m turning 50 in February 2025. Deeply appreciating my first half-century, which felt like a long rookie season with all the things, I’m pumped for my sophomore season to start!
Leaving you with a legendary quote by Thomas Jefferson: “If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done.”
Is it just me or did 2024 fly by?
It seems like only yesterday I joined the Osborne team (Feb 2024 to be precise). Big shout out to Yvonne Thevenot for the introduction. This team of professionals from many walks of life and across Canada, have broad interests and experience. A one-stop shop for anything you need to know about business. It’s been a pleasure to become part of the team. Happy Holidays to you all!
Looking back on this year I’ll use The Emotional Culture Deck: Reflect and Review Canvas
For me 2024 has included the following top 4 emotions:
- AT EASE: To have our son home from Ottawa where he’s attended school the past 4 years.
- HESITANT: As we now prepare our daughter to wrap up Grade 12 and begin the process of university applications to then have her then fly the coop!
- DELIGHTED: To have the opportunity to travel to New Zealand for a 3-week adventure and trip of a lifetime with my hubby that included luxury hotels AND campervans…. If your gonna do it; you must do the camper van piece!
- CURIOUS: Drove much of the work I did with my clients, helping to uncover new tools (and old) as well as innovative approaches to help guide them through change.
Looking ahead to 2025 and leaning on another tool the Emotional Culture Deck: Intentions Settings Canvas, I choose the following top 4 emotions:
- OPTIMISTIC: The world will become a better place. We must first believe it and then do our best to create it- sometimes small steps bit by bit.
- GRATEFUL: To live in a country that provides safety, security, women’s rights, and opportunity
- CONNECTED: To my family, friends, and clients- at the end of the day it’s connection that makes it all work- without connection we will not thrive.
- UNCOMFORTABLE: There must be at least a little bit of discomfort along the way. I encourage feeling uncomfortable on the path toward continuous change at home and at work. It’s the root toward improvement. In 2025 getting comfortable with being uncomfortable will continue to be important.
Happy Christmas and a very happy New Year to you all!