At the end of last year, we put a call out to the Freelancers Union community, asking our members for their favorite accomplishments of 2025. It didn't necessarily have to be the "biggest" or "best" accomplishment — though it certainly could be — but whatever their favorite accomplishment was.

Read on below for these achievements shared by our members; hopefully their proudest moments of the year will inspire you to celebrate your own, and consider what you want to achieve in 2026.

"My favorite accomplishment of 2025 was finally turning twenty years of research into something tangible. I've spent my career exploring 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 those patterns in their own practice. I'm rebranding it for 2026 to serve both individual creatives and creative teams in businesses. It's terrifying to launch something so personal, but also exciting.

I also wrote what I've been calling my "Mary Poppins letter" about being a 45-year-old multidisciplinary freelancer who doesn't fit neatly into job categories. Watching it resonate with so many others reminded me that the weird, winding career paths are often the richest ones." - Kathryn Vercillo

"I wrote a short comedy which the cast had fun reading.  (I think this one is actually funny.)" - Linda Rogers, Playwright

"While I think this was a challenging year for myself and many freelancers in video and photography production, there are still reasons to celebrate. Some of my highlights from 2025 include: (13) new clients, the return of some previous clients, a 3-day cycling 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 Watson, photographer, 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 evolve the brand's visual identity. After collaborative exploration, we successfully launched a new, distinctive aesthetic. Where we landed was unexpectedly weird, wonderful and all mine :) Six months later, this visual evolution—paired with a refreshed tone in copywriting—has significantly increased audience engagement. I'm grateful to have a client that trusts and respects my expertise and allows me the freedom to explore." - Craig Hansen

"My favorite accomplishment of 2025 is merely surviving with my mental health intact...This was a year of 'firsts' for me. Not only did I have my first ZERO income year where nearly every proposal was completely ghosted. My parked car was totaled in a swanky NYC garage. My shower leaked necessitating a full gut 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 contractor for homeland security flying deportation charters for ICE(!)I wrote about it, spoke to Fast Company about it, and presented a lecture on design and ethics centered around it, which I am planning to take on tour in 2026.

The fact that I am still here and standing upright is a testament to the resilience it requires to face the reality of existence in its entirety without rejecting the bad parts and dwelling only on the good ones." - Kim B.

"Started the year feeling lost in my career, working a survival job as a nanny to make ends meet while I navigated a collapsing entertainment industry. Decided to go full-time as a freelancer, and over the course of this year have built up enough momentum to QUIT MY SURVIVAL JOB, YAY!!! I haven't pulled the trigger just yet (I'm targeting an early January end date), but even just knowing that the transition is in progress and I'm just waiting on my first big retainer client check to clear before I give notice is a huge win in and of itself.

I'm also proud of all the work I've done to educate myself about creative entrepreneurship. I've taken a bunch of classes and workshops through Freelancers Union (I think my favorite was probably "Business Entities for Creatives"), the Entertainment Community Fund, and more. I've also gotten set up with my local SBDC and have been working with a bunch of advisors to set myself up for success. I now have a Business License, EIN, and DBA/FBN (none of which I had back 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 accomplishment of 2025 is the publication of the Allcento Tarot deck that I created which is now being sold world-wide!  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 gotten rave reviews from both tarot novices as well as expert esotericists. The cards are packed full of symbolism from various tarot traditions (including the Marseille, Minchiate, RWS, Thoth, and more). The more you know, the more you will see!" - Michael J. Auger

"I'll share that my biggest 2025 accomplishment was winning my very first journalism award. It was quite a small award (First Place in the Specialty Articles: Green/Environmental category of the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest). But firsts are always notable, and it was validating as I continue to try to make a journalism career happen against the odds." - Elyse Hauser

1. This year was my highest revenue earned, doubling last year
2. Started saving for retirement again thanks to New Street Advisors
3. Traveled to Alaska for the first time with my husband 
4. Completed a professional development goal to attend an industry specific conference once per quarter (Notary) 
5. Initiated full migration to Google Workspace
6. Promoted to President for our local Business Resource Group to support the Wisconsin Notary Community
7. Surpassed 60 reviews on Google! 
8. Hired contractors to help scale my business (of course using the contract generator to help put contracts in place)
9. Leased a second office 
10. And most importantly... seeing the growth I've had in my life both personally and professionally. 
    -Stephanie Stevens-Khan