Season’s greetings!
Hello there,
2023 is a wrap, today is our last day of work! It was an eventful year for us: Lots of new clients and projects, two new people joining the team, we even managed to squeeze in some pro-bono work. Time to reflect on the highlights with a little recap from each team member!
Doro: This year has been wild! One of my highlights is definitely that Sev and Julia joined our team: I am so happy that we found these two amazing people that make our co-op feel even more real now. ✨ Also after being around for a few more months, we started to get requests from clients who we didn’t know before and they approached us because we are Village One and because of our values! How cool is that?! I am looking forward to next year with this team, working together on our dream projects and shaping Village One even more.
Christoph: 2023 was packed! When we looked at the past months together recently, I struggled to remember everything, and some things feel so long ago already. It’s quite unbelievable that Village One only has been around for 1.5 years?! I’m very proud of the projects we worked on and launched recently. I’m also glad that we decided against some projects, because we felt like it wasn’t a total match with what we aim for. These discussions were exhausting and tricky at times, but in the end, it was always worth it!
Fei: Starting a new business is hard, duh!!! 😅 This year has been a mix of highs and lows for me personally. However, I’m so grateful for everyone who gave or referred projects to us; and I’m especially proud of this little team that we assembled. The way we listen und communicate with each other is just lovely!
Harry: What stood out for me this year was how many new clients approached us, who are doing amazing things in the world and also happen to be a joy to work with—be it TypeMates, Publix, Sovereign Tech Fund, Youth Policy Labs or Democracy Next. They all do meaningful work, with dedication and a smile on their faces. I feel incredibly fortunate that we get to collaborate with, support and learn from such amazing people!
Julia: I've only joined Village One back in July, but it somehow feels I've been around for the entire 2023 🙈! In the last six months, I had a crash course on cooperatives and how to run a design agency, worked on five super interesting projects, two of which I lead, pondered on tricky internal topics and had many brilliant conversations with the team. Even though some days feel a little bit crazy (in a rather positive way though!), I'm grateful for the opportunities, challenges and leanings that came our way this year!
Sev: Joining in Village One in May, it’s been a whirlwind of a year! Alongside the many projects and great coworking weeks, one thing that’s really resonated with me is everyone’s respect for each other’s time outside of work and their wellbeing. If a member needs to take a mental health break, there’s no hesitation there! This is the power of the coop: we all want to look after each other 🫂.
We did compile a much longer run-down, but decided to keep this newsletter short and sweet—after all, these last days of the year are usually crammed already. If you do want the full package (including lots of photos, project updates and internal topics), you can find it all in our digital garden post:
Read our full 2023 recap here!
Thank you for following along in 2023, we shall be back next year! Now it’s time for a break and for eating lots of chocolate.
We hope you’re well,
Christoph, Doro, Fei, Harry, Julia and Sev
