Read more below for these achievements shared by our members; Hopefully their proudest moments of the year will inspire you to celebrate yours and think about what you want to achieve in 2026.
“My favorite achievement of 2025 was finally turning twenty years of research into something tangible. I’ve spent my entire career investigating how health (mental, physical, chronic conditions, life circumstances) shapes creative work. This year, I built a framework and assessment tool that helps artists, writers, and makers understand these patterns in their own practice. I’m renaming it for 2026 so it can serve both individual creatives and creative teams in companies. It’s scary to have something so personal, but also exciting to launch.
I also wrote what I call my “Mary Poppins letter”about a 45-year-old multi-disciplinary freelancer who doesn’t fit neatly into job categories. Seeing it resonate with so many others reminded me that the strange, winding career paths are often the richest.” – Kathryn Vercillo
“I wrote a comedy short that the cast enjoyed reading. (I think this one is actually funny.)” – Linda Rogers, playwright
“While I think this has been a challenging year for myself and many video and photography production freelancers, there are still reasons to celebrate. Some of my 2025 highlights include: (13) new clients, the return of some previous clients, a three-day bike shoot in the SF Bay Area for Modern Adventure, being interviewed on The Great Big Photography World Podcast, and another year of getting to do what I love!” – Jay Watsonphotographer, San Francisco, CA
“For the past eight years I have worked as a long-term freelance illustrator and animator for a client, producing weekly content in an established brand style. This year I was invited to reimagine and develop the brand’s visual identity. After a joint exploration, we successfully launched a new, distinctive aesthetic. Where we ended up was unexpectedly weird, wonderful and completely me 🙂 Six months later, this visual evolution – combined with a renewed tone in copywriting – has significantly increased audience engagement. I am grateful to have a client who trusts and respects my expertise and gives me the freedom to explore.” – Craig Hansen
“My favorite achievement of 2025 is surviving with my sanity intact… This was a year of ‘firsts’ for me. Not only did I have my first ZERO income year where almost every proposal was completely ghosted. My parked car was totaled in a fancy New York garage. My shower leaked, requiring a complete renovation of my bathroom…
But my most high-profile client, a commercial airline for whom I designed the identity system, is the subject of much controversy as a homeland security flight contractor for deportation charters for ICE(!)I wrote about itspoken Fast company about it, and presented a reading about design and ethics around it, which I want to take on tour in 2026.
The fact that I am still here and standing tall is a testament to the resilience required to face the reality of existence in its entirety, without dismissing the bad parts and dwelling only on the good.” – Kim B.
“I started the year feeling lost in my career, working a survival job as a nanny to make ends meet while navigating a collapsing entertainment industry. Decided to freelance full-time, and over the course of this year I’ve built enough momentum to quit my survival job, YES!!! I haven’t pulled the trigger yet (I’m aiming for an early January end date), but even I know the transition is happening and I’m just waiting for my first big one flat fee The customer check that needs to be done before I cancel is a huge win in itself.
I’m also proud of all the work I’ve done to educate myself about creative entrepreneurship. I’ve taken a number of classes and workshops through Freelancers Union (I think my favorite was probably “Business Entities for Creatives”), the Entertainment Community Fund, and more. I also connected with my local SBDC and worked with some advisors to set myself up for success. I now have a business license, EIN and DBA/FBN (which I didn’t have in January). I’m so glad I decided to ask for help! It has made all the difference in the world.” – Carrie S.
“My favorite achievement of 2025 is the publication of the Allcento Tarot deck that I created and which is now sold worldwide! Most tarot decks have 78 cards. However, the Alicento includes additional cards from some of the earliest tarot decks, including all 7 virtues, zodiac cards and other lesser known cards to create a unique 100-card tarot, illustrated in a bold, whimsical style that has received critical acclaim from both tarot beginners as well as expert esotericists are chock-full of symbolism from various tarot traditions (including Marseille, Minchiate, RWS, Thoth and more). Michael J Auger
“I will say that my biggest achievement in 2025 was winning my very first journalism award. It was a pretty small award (first place in the Specialty Articles: Green/Environmental category of the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest). But firsts are always remarkable, and it was an affirmation as I continue to try to forge a career in journalism against all odds.” – Elyse Hauser
- This year was my highest turnover, doubling last year
- Started saving for retirement again thanks to New Street Advisors
- Traveled to Alaska for the first time with my husband
- Completed a professional development objective to attend an industry-specific conference once per quarter (Notary)
- Complete migration to Google Workspace started
- Promoted to President of our local Business Resource Group in support of the Wisconsin Notary Community
- Exceeded 60 reviews on Google!
- Hired contractors to help scale my business (using the contract generator to set up contracts, of course)
- Rented a second office
- And most importantly… seeing the growth I have experienced in my life, both personally and professionally.
–Stephanie Stevens-Khan
#Freelancer #union #members #share #biggest #achievements