15 years can feel like the blink of an eye…and yet so much can happen in that same span of time. Kids grow from infancy to young adults preparing to drive themselves to school. Entire hall-of-fame NFL careers can begin and end (if you haven’t already, you really should watch the documentary Kelce). New organizations launch, evolve and succeed…or become stagnant and fail.
Time moves on. Despite the wins, the losses, the births the deaths…the wheel keeps turning.
That’s why Ostara means so much to me. Because it says no matter how much time passes, no matter how many revolutions of the wheel, there will always be a new cycle, a new beginning, a new opportunity for growth.
Ostara is the Nordic spring holiday. The vernal equinox. The day that defines new beginnings after a cold, dark winter. It’s a time of rebirth and as such, a time of excitement and hope. It’s a philosophy I believe in wholeheartedly, so much so that I named the company I founded after it.
This year will mark The Ostara Group’s 15th. Seems like just yesterday we were celebrating our 10th in a room full of clients, community partners and fellow Ostarans. It was a special and very meaningful occasion for me. It was pre-pandemic, and we were on an exciting path.
Since then, the world has changed…and so have we. We’ve evolved to better meet the needs of our clients and our sector. We’ve become leaner, smarter, and more focused on leadership, planning and strategic fundraising, and campaign counsel.
We’ve partnered with clients to realize their vision of a new home (Bainbridge Island Performing Arts Center, FamilyWorks, and PorchLight), we’ve helped clients plan for the future (Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, Greenlake Preschool, Youth Eastside Services, UW Tacoma) and we’ve helped clients raise more than $50M dollars to fund their impact across our region. Our team of consultants has worked with 77 clients this past year alone!
As you may be able to tell, I truly love what I do…and I’m incredibly proud of who we are and how we work. We’ve had a tremendous positive influence across our community, and within our sector.
As one thinks about their time, and their life’s work, what more can one hope for?
So, this March 21st, Ostara Day, take a moment to reflect on your own important work, on those whose lives you’ve impacted, and on why you do it. Then celebrate your efforts…and relish the new day.
Happy Ostara!