2024: A Year in Review

As we close out 2024, I wanted to take a moment to connect with you, share a short reflection, and offer some resources that I’ve been working on over the last several months. Our mission at Do What Lasts is rooted in creating meaningful, lasting impact, and this year has been full of opportunities to do that—both in the work we’ve done and the lessons we’ve learned along the way. I hope these words and resources encourage you as you reflect on your own year and look ahead to what’s next.

Recap: 2024 in the Rearview
With 2024 now in the rearview mirror, I’ve been reflecting on the highlights, challenges, and moments of growth that defined the year. It’s been a year of stretching, learning, challenge, and celebration, both personally and professionally.

Growth.
When I think about 2024, the most incredible thing that grew this year is undoubtedly our 6-month-old daughter, Garland. We never quite pictured ourselves staring down 40 with a baby in our arms, but here we are—and what a gift she has been. Garland has brought so much joy to our family. Her sisters adore her, and her mom and I are grateful for the gift of getting to experience life through the lens of a little one again, with all the newness. Even with the sleep deprivation, she's truly the sweetest addition to our lives this year.

Challenges.
If we’re not careful, life’s challenges can consume us, can they not? Each day brings new and distinct challenges that must be faced. I think what I learned most in 2024 about “challenge” was not whether or not we will face a challenge or how to avoid a challenge, but how to show up to a challenge, knowing full well they are inevitable.

Throughout this year, a forthcoming challenge often incited dread or fear or caused me to want to retreat or numb. Sure, there are personality types that face struggle “better” than others. However, being a naturally conflict-avoidant person, 2024 did not provide me the option of not facing a challenge head-on. This year grew me, stretched me, and built more capacity within me. It also exposed shadow sides of me, and caused me to do a lot of work on myself, a lot of digging around in this head and heart of mine to try and get to the root of what motivates and demotivates me.

So, when I think about the “challenges” of 2024, I could camp out on the month my dad was in the hospital for open heart surgery, with ICU complications on the front and back end of surgery. I could talk about the most demanding year in my career, stepping into a challenging role with great uncertainty about the future while trying to invest in my relationship with Courtney and the girls.

Parker Palmer writes, “Even when life challenges us, it’s a gift beyond all measure.” I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. While difficult, challenges are a gift. They should invite us into more of who we were created to be.

This year, I’ve learned more about embracing challenges and approaching them with more confidence, dependence on Christ, and perspective. I often ask the question now, “What is mine to do?” Does this challenge, situation, or conflict actually need me, or does it not? Will I get through this with white knuckles, trying to control every outcome, or will I get through this by means of surrendering expectations and allowing the power of Christ to be made perfect in my weakness?

Here’s to less white-knuckling in 2025! 

Where We’ve Been
Professionally, I saw meaningful growth in my role at Sunday Cool. At work, 2024 felt like a rebuilding year—challenging but rewarding. Stepping into the Vice President of Sales and Marketing role and overseeing five departments—Sales, Marketing, Creative Services, Client Experience, and Content—has stretched me in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. This year taught me lessons in resilience, the power of Radical Candor, and the value of benevolent detachment.

Where We’re Going
This year also marked an exciting resurgence for Do What Lasts. We’ve had the privilege of partnering with remarkable organizations, from a world-renowned nonprofit battling poverty in some of the world's darkest corners to Manhattan-based ophthalmologists championing equitable and accessible healthcare. It’s been a momentous year, but this feels like just the beginning for Do What Lasts. We’re excited to build more partnerships, create more content, and drive even greater impact in 2025!

Resources
We believe in being generous with any insights we’ve learned along the way that might help others grow. This year, we’ve written and released some resources designed to equip you and your team. Here are a few highlights:

• The Brand Blueprint: A 6-Step Framework for Building a Mission-Driven Brand
• Six Ways to Serve Before the Sale: How to Build Trust in a Transactional World
• How Not to Get on Your Donors’ Naughty List: How to Keep Your Donors Engaged, Inspired, and Generous This Year-End

Recommendation
As we wrap up the year, I’d love to share a few things that personally inspired me or helped me grow—hopefully, they’ll do the same for you:

Here’s something worth listening to:

• Amxnradio, a music experiment by Joel Houston of Hillsong United. This new music by Joel Houston inspired me a great deal. Especially the song “THING AbOUt U ~”. After time away from the scene, and in the wake of Hillsong Church’s scandal, Joel’s [ridiculously creative] songs focus on the assurity of Christ’s presence with us, His neverending love, and His “sameness” through it all. 

Here are a few things worth reading and/or listening to:

• The Redemptive Business – Praxis Labs. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a playbook I identified more with than this regarding the impact a business or enterprise can have on a people, a community, or the world. It’s a must-read for any Christian business leader. 
• Radical Candor – Kim Scott’s appearance on the Business Made Simple podcast opened my world to the management concept of “radical candor.” This concept is primarily the idea that if I care deeply about this person, I will challenge them directly. Conversely, if I care deeply about them but never challenge them directly, it will create ruinous empathy in myself and in them.
• Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making – Andrew Peterson. Andrew Peterson is one of my favorite artists and authors. I’m currently reading his memoir and peek into his creative process. I’m just getting started with this, but it’s wonderful so far. 

Reflection
As we look toward the new year, this speech by Theodore Roosevelt has resonated deeply with me. It resurfaced for me at our older girls’ recitation at their school back in October. I remembered hearing this a couple of other times in the past, but something about children reciting this speech moved me. I resonated as the man whose face is marred by the dust, sweat, and blood of 2024. The words of this speech challenged me to stay in the arena, stay in the fight, and spend myself on worthy causes whenever possible.

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

May we all step into 2025 with courage, devotion, and the willingness to dare greatly.

I’d love to hear from you! What’s been on your mind as you reflect on this year, or what exciting projects are you dreaming up for 2025? If you’re looking for support to turn those dreams, brands and projects into a reality, we’d love to partner with you. Learn more about our consulting services here.

As we head into a new year, I hope you feel inspired and equipped to take bold steps toward what matters most. Cheers to a 2025! A year filled with growth, impact, and lasting significance.

- Danny

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Court’s Corner