The PlaidPath Turns Two: Celebrating the High and Lows of Business Growth and Development

Looking Back on 2025 

2025 felt quiet on the surface but chaotic underneath. Much of the work unfolded behind the scenes, often without certainty about how everything would connect. I spent the year turning long-held ideas into something tangible, and in that process The PlaidPath began to take clearer shape. The website launched, the early framework of The VAN to VIC Trek came together, and what once lived mostly in my head became something I could refine, share, and stand behind. 

That shift naturally carried into the experiences I was creating. I devoted time to designing walks that reflect how I hope people move through place, both physically and emotionally. Creating The City and Shoreline Trek in Vancouver and hosting my first free walking tours brought that vision into real time with real people. Those days grounded the work and reaffirmed why I started The PlaidPath.  

At the same time, I felt drawn to strengthen my skills as a guide and storyteller. Becoming a certified interpretive guide gave structure and language to instincts I had been shaping for years. A few months later, I attended an event to hear Dianne Whelan speak about her documentary 500 Days in the Wild which offered reassurance that long journeys and intentional movement still hold space in this world. That inspiration flowed directly into the next phase of my work as I began drafting The VAN to VIC guidebook, a process that tested my patience and reminded me that meaningful projects unfold slowly. 

June offered a different kind of milestone. I hosted a fundraiser in support of the Canadian Cancer Society, a cause that holds personal meaning for me. As part of their challenge to walk 100 kilometres throughout the month, I committed to showing up step by step while inviting others to be part of the journey. Through that campaign, I helped raise over $1,000 for the CCS. The experience brought together movement, community, and purpose in a way that felt deeply aligned with The PlaidPath and the values behind it. 

However, not every step along the way felt comfortable. Early in the year I pitched my “secret project” to Dragon’s Den producers which required clarity about what I am building and why it matters. While I did make it through the first two rounds of interviews, the opportunity did not progress further. Still, the experience sharpened my sense of direction and strengthened my commitment to the path I am on. 

Behind all of this creative work sat the steady rhythm of running a business. Taxes, bookkeeping, social media, systems, and logistics filled many quiet hours. While none of it felt particularly exciting, it was a necessary foundation that needed to be laid down. By the end of the year, I could see how growth often arrives quietly, piece by piece, while you are still finding your footing. 

Lessons Learned 

Looking back, 2025 reinforced a truth I had not fully accepted: this work takes time. Balancing a full-time job, personal life, and the steady demands of building The PlaidPath requires patience and consistency. A pilgrimage-centred life asks for slowness and trust in the process, and balance has become something I return to repeatedly rather than something I achieve once. 

That realization deepened my awareness of limits. Guiding tours brought energy and clarity, yet it also showed how easily that energy fades without rest. Designing meaningful experiences depends on presence, and presence depends on pause, reflection, and boundaries. By autumn, I had begun to understand rest as part of the work rather than time away from it. 

I was also reminded that growth arrives through mistakes. Behind the scenes and even in my online efforts, there were plenty of missteps: administrative decisions that needed revisiting, financial learning curves, system hiccups, and the ongoing process of finding my voice on social media. Each moment of discomfort encouraged me to slow down, prioritize carefully, and think long term.  

As the year continued, my early ideas of what The PlaidPath might become began to shift. Some plans quietly fell away while others evolved into forms I could not have anticipated. Allowing that change created space for offerings that feel more aligned with who I am now. The business continues to evolve alongside me, and in that evolution I have come to see how closely The PlaidPath reflects my values. Intention, resilience, balance, and purpose shape both my life and this work. 

Alongside these shifts came a clearer acceptance of reality. When I launched The PlaidPath in 2024, I imagined fast financial momentum and quick expansion. That timeline did not unfold, and there were stretches of doubt throughout the year. Gradually, I began to view the business as a living practice rather than a measure of success. Its value lives in the act of creating and committing to the path. I still believe in what The PlaidPath can become, and I recognize that the most meaningful growth so far has been internal. With that perspective, I move forward trusting that the external pieces will settle in their own time. 

Looking Ahead to Year Three 

As I step into my third year of business, I notice how different this moment feels from what I once expected. I often return to the memory of walking the Camino in 2012. I planned for 31 days, yet the journey stretched beyond 45. Still, I arrived in Santiago. The PlaidPath carries a similar rhythm: steady, long-term, and grounded in the understanding that meaningful journeys unfold at their own pace. 

With that in mind, I feel proud of what took shape this year. I remain grateful for family and friends who checked in, offered encouragement, and helped keep me accountable to my dreams. I also appreciate everyone who supported The PlaidPath by joining a walk, sharing a conversation, or engaging online. These small gestures carried real weight and quietly sustained the work I was doing. 

Looking ahead, I hold high expectations of myself with a stronger sense of realism. I stay open to opportunity and give myself space to rest, recalibrate, and explore when needed. That balance feels essential as the path continues to unfold. 

And at the end of the day, I remind myself that The PlaidPath was born on February 29, a leap day. By that logic, its first four years hold the energy of a single year of growth. That perspective brings comfort and a sense of spaciousness around the timeline. 

I am right on time.