Celebrating LIGHT+CO's 10th anniversary this month feels momentous, not just because it marks a decade of helping brands grow but because it's a reminder of why I founded LIGHT+CO in the first place. The name “LIGHT+CO” didn't come from a branding brainstorm or market analysis. It came from a deep, personal belief I held—and still hold—about what creative work is supposed to do.
 
When I started LIGHT+CO, I saw something I loved about this industry being chipped away. The word “creative” was gradually being replaced by “content” – which to me simply meant “stuff you put in stuff” – and “ideas” were becoming transactional, commoditized. Today, with AI and algorithms generating endless streams of “content,” that shift has accelerated exponentially. But the truth is, what we create, and what meaningful brands stand for, isn't just “stuff.” Creative ideas have the power to illuminate. To inspire genuine feeling. To connect people to what matters, to enrich and enlighten. And that belief is what LIGHT+CO stands for.
 
The choice of “light” was intentional and symbolic. Light is fundamental—it reveals, clarifies, and gives energy. In branding and advertising, I believe our highest purpose is to help people see products and brands in a way that aligns with their values, needs, and aspirations. If a brand can light up a truth that resonates, people choose it because it's meaningful. That's the power of light.
 
There have been so many poignant moments along the way. CEOs and their teams standing up and fist-pumping because they finally feel understood and so excited about what their brand could be as we present strategic findings to them. Or when 73 of the industry's top creatives came together during Covid, a time when their own lives and futures were chaotic and unknown, to volunteer their talent to help New Orleans musicians, resulting in the beautiful “Rise and Shine” film with Trombone Shorty. Or the creative “unlock” that allowed one client to completely shift the way the company saw itself and its role in people's lives. That truthful connection with their customers led to unprecedented sales.
 
Ten years in, I feel more committed than ever to the ideals that guided me when I started this journey, and to helping brands find their light, and sharing it with the world.
 
My sincere thanks to all of our amazing clients and to the 100+ incredibly talented people who make up our LIGHT+CO team. You inspire me. Here's to many more years of illumination.