Every December, our feeds explode with Spotify Wrapped: the stats, the surprises, the questionable-but-relatable top artists. And somewhere along the way, business owners started doing their own version — revenue Wrapped, client Wrapped, “look how far we’ve come” Wrapped.

So this year, we decided to join in…
but in the most Studio West way possible.

No fluff. No filters.
Just the real, honest Agency Wrapped: the wins, the fails, and the one lesson we’re taking with us into 2026.

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The Wins

The things that made us sit back, breathe deep, and say, “Okay… we’re really doing this.”

1. We started booking out months in advance again.

Not in January. Not in spring.
But by Q3 and Q4, the momentum returned … hard.
After a slower first half of the year, our calendar filled, our pipeline stabilized, and for the first time in a long stretch, we were ahead instead of chasing deadlines.
It felt like the tide finally turned, and we rode that wave straight into year-end.

2. We formed powerhouse partnerships.

We said yes to partnerships that aligned with who we are and where we’re going.
Like Mailchimp and one whom can’t yet be named but is the BIGGEST of my career! Strategic collaborations that push the future of digital-forward businesses and strengthen how we show up for our clients. 

3. We invested sweat equity into brands we believe in.

Not one, but two incredible businesses earned our sweat equity this year, because we genuinely believe in what they’re building. We’re all in, supporting founders with the same grit and fire we carry.

4. We grew the team.

More talent. More creativity. More support.
We expanded in ways that allow SWDC to serve bigger, better, and bolder.

5. The most personal win: I brought my younger kids home from full-time daycare. This one… everything. I shifted into part-time mode, intentionally carving out days to be in full mom-mode — present, grounded, and home with my babies.
 

Building a business that lets me choose both is the most sacred privilege.

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The Misses

Not failures… but the lessons that reshaped how we move.

1. I questioned whether this business was meant for me anymore.

Truthfully? I thought about walking away.
Running an agency through years of medical hardship and burnout leaves marks.
There were days I wondered if my fire had gone out for good.

2. I considered closing down completely.

When you’re tired for too long, your brain whispers things you never imagined you’d consider.
And I listened for a minute.

3. I didn’t pay myself. Again.

Another year of pouring everything back into the business — team, tools, growth — while I pushed my own paycheck to the bottom of the list. It’s an all-too-relatable founder reality, but one I’m rewriting in 2026.

4. I let my spark dim.

Creative burnout, decision fatigue, and pure exhaustion had me operating in survival mode instead of visionary mode.

5. Contract chaos.

I didn’t update some of our contracts when I should have.
And yes, I even worked without a signed one in place.
Never again. (We see you, boundaries.)

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& The One Thing I’ll Never Do Again

The line in the sand. The lesson that changed everything.

We will never again question whether this is the space we are meant to be in.

Imposter syndrome is loud when you’re tired. Burnout is loud when you’ve survived more than people know. And when life hits you — health, stress, motherhood, leadership — those doubts creep in quickly.

But here’s the truth I finally came home to: We didn’t come this far just to come this far.

This agency was built from grit, purpose, and a calling that didn’t disappear… it just needed rest.

And stepping into 2026, the fire is back.
The vision is back.
The belief is back.

We’re building something powerful here.
And we’re just getting started.