5 Things We Know After Nearly 25 Years in Business
Jason Hunter Design is approaching its 25th anniversary. That’s a sentence we are incredibly proud to write, but it also makes us stop and think about everything that has happened along the way.
The marketing world looked very different when JHD began. Websites were simpler. Social media didn’t exist in the way it does today. Search engines, digital advertising, and the way people connect with businesses have all changed more times than we can count. We’ve changed too.
Twenty-five years in business doesn’t mean we have always had the perfect answer. It means we have stayed willing to learn, adapt, solve problems, and keep moving forward. Here are five things we know now that may help other businesses as they build their own path forward.
- You Will Not Always Walk in a Straight Line
Business doesn’t always move exactly as planned. Things change quickly in marketing, website development, technology, and nearly every digital space. New platforms appear. Algorithms shift. Customer expectations evolve. Strategies that worked well a few years ago may not produce the same results today.
It can feel especially difficult when you’re just trying to find your footing. The market may seem overly saturated, and it may look like everyone else already knows exactly what they’re doing. They don’t!
Most businesses have taken detours, changed direction, made mistakes, and adjusted their plans along the way. Progress doesn’t have to look like a straight line to still be progress.
Sometimes the unexpected path is the one that teaches you the most.
- There Are More Important Things Than Trends
Trends can be useful. They can help a business stay current, reach new audiences, and participate in the conversations people are already having. But, trends fade.
Trust, relationships, and consistency are what lasts.
While a trending post may bring someone to your page, trust is what makes them stay. Relationships are what bring them back. Consistency is what shows them they can continue to depend on you.
Pay attention to what is changing, but don’t lose sight of the things that shouldn’t.
- You Don’t Have to Know Everything to Keep Moving
There will always be something new to learn. No business can be an expert in every platform, system, tool, or strategy. Even within our own industry, there is always a new update, a new challenge, or a new way of doing something. Our goal isn’t usually to know it all.
It’s to stay curious enough to ask questions, humble enough to admit when we don’t know, and resourceful enough to find the answer. Some of our greatest growth has come from projects that pushed us past what was familiar to us. We learned because the work required us to learn.
- Your Team Can Get You Through
SEO, social media, websites, branding, content, advertising, development, and project management all require different skills. One person can’t carry all of it forever.
The right team brings more than additional hands. A strong team brings different perspectives, specialized knowledge, new ideas, and people who can step forward when a challenge requires more than one person to solve it.
There have been projects throughout JHD’s history that tested us. There have been tight deadlines, complicated website problems, unexpected changes, and moments when the path forward was not immediately clear.
Our team got us through them.
Building a team also means learning to trust people with important work. That’s not always easy, especially when you have spent years being involved in every detail. However, a business becomes stronger when its knowledge, responsibility, and problem-solving abilities are shared.
- How You Respond Matters More Than Avoiding The Problem
After nearly 25 years, we can confidently say that something will eventually go wrong. A deadline will move. A project will change halfway through. A client may come to you with a problem they need solved immediately.
The strength of a business is not measured by if it avoids every difficult moment. It is measured by how it responds when one arrives.
Do you communicate clearly? Do you take responsibility? Do you stay focused on finding a solution? Do you support your team and protect the trust your clients have placed in you?
Problems have taught us how to become better planners, stronger communicators, and more thoughtful partners. You may not be able to control every situation, but you can control how you show up for it.
Nearly 25 Years Later
We’re still learning. We are still adapting to changes in marketing, technology, and the needs of the businesses we serve. We are still working through challenges, testing ideas, and finding better ways to do the work.
We also know much more clearly what matters. Stay flexible. Build trust. Keep learning. Rely on your team. Show up when things get hard. Those lessons have carried JHD for nearly 25 years, and we believe they will continue carrying us into whatever comes next.
Thinking about what’s next for your business? Reach out to our team and tell us about your plans by filling out the form below. We’d love to hear what you’re working toward and talk about how we can help!
Jason Bass is a marketing strategist, community builder, and founder who turns bold ideas into real momentum. At the helm of Jason Hunter Design, Pixel Partner Digital, and The Citizen, he brings clarity to chaos, structure to startups, and firepower to brands ready to scale. Known for his visionary thinking and down-to-earth leadership, Jason helps businesses grow — not just in revenue, but in purpose and impact.