{"id":21973,"date":"2025-12-01T21:37:05","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/?p=21973"},"modified":"2026-02-10T19:41:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T19:41:47","slug":"presidents-post-signing-off-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/2025\/12\/01\/presidents-post-signing-off-for-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"President\u2019s Post \u2013 Signing Off for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

President\u2019s Post \u2013 Signing Off for 2025<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
A Year of Growth, Grit, and Gratitude<\/h5>

Before we all disappear into the madness and magic of Christmas, I wanted to stop, take a breath, and reflect on just how far we\u2019ve come this year as an association.<\/p>

Because, honestly? It\u2019s been a big one.<\/p>

This year we welcomed 25 new members into the NZSDA family\u2014a clear sign that our industry is growing and that more signmakers see the value in being part of something bigger. Membership means connection, support, and being part of a community that backs each other.<\/p>

We also celebrated 12 new Master Sign Makers. That\u2019s no small feat. It\u2019s a recognition of skill, consistency, and commitment to the craft. These individuals are raising the standard for all of us\u2014and showing the next generation what excellence looks like.<\/p>

We\u2019ve added real value too, through practical tools like our webinars and the N3 card. (I\u2019ve had great feedback from members whose staff have saved big on their Christmas shopping through places like JB Hi-Fi and Noel Leeming, just by using their N3 benefits).<\/p>

And behind the scenes, we\u2019ve been laying the groundwork for next year\u2019s Expo and Sign Awards, as well as developing some fresh new benefits for our members. It\u2019s still early days, but the buzz is building. 2026 is shaping up to be something special.<\/p>

We\u2019ve had great conversations and made real connections, not just on screens and in rooms, but over coffee, drinks at the bar, and shared challenges. It\u2019s been a blast.<\/p>

I\u2019m incredibly proud of the work put in by our team on the ground – Mikayla and Melissa, you two are powerhouses. None of this happens without your energy and hard work. Thank you both.<\/p>

And to our Board – it\u2019s been a pleasure. We\u2019ve had some great discussions and a few good, healthy debates too (as any passionate group should). But above all, there\u2019s a real sense of pride and purpose in our crew. It\u2019s an honour to serve alongside such talented professionals who genuinely want to see this industry thrive.<\/p>

The Final Push (and How to Stay Sane)<\/h5>

Now, let\u2019s talk about this time of year – that crazy window between now and Christmas where stress runs high, deadlines loom, and we all try to squeeze five weeks of work into two.<\/p>

If you\u2019re feeling the pressure, you\u2019re not alone. Here are a few tips I\u2019ve found help as we race toward the finish line:<\/p>

  1. Control the controllables<\/strong>: You can\u2019t fix every client crisis or magically find time that doesn\u2019t exist. Focus on what you<\/em> can control: your pace, your priorities, your mindset.<\/li>
  2. Say no<\/strong> (my biggest challenge!):<\/em> It\u2019s okay to push back. \u201cWe\u2019re fully booked until Jan\u201d is a complete sentence. The more you practice it, the easier it gets.<\/li>
  3. Check in with your team:<\/strong> Emotions run high this time of year, and a stressed-out team doesn\u2019t produce good signs. A five-minute one-on-one can go a long way in helping someone feel seen and valued.<\/li>
  4. Don\u2019t skip lunch<\/strong>: You\u2019re not a machine. Coffee isn\u2019t a food group. Take a minute to breathe, eat your lunch, and go for a five-minute walk. I find it incredibly grounding. It helps clear the head and reset for the afternoon.<\/li>
  5. Book something to look forward to with your team<\/strong>: Every year, Krystal and I host lunch and drinks at our place on the last day of work. It\u2019s full of banter, reflection, and celebration – a finish line we\u2019re all heading towards in those final days of the year.<\/li><\/ol>
    A Season to Celebrate<\/h5>

    Christmas means different things to all of us. For my family, it\u2019s a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and reflect on the hope and impact that\u2019s had across the world. We\u2019ll be spending time with family and friends and clocking as many hours on the lake as we can.<\/p>

    Whatever Christmas looks like for you – whether it\u2019s loud and festive, quiet and reflective, or just a well-earned break – I hope you make the most of it.<\/p>

    Unplug. Recharge. Celebrate the wins. Put your phone down, be present with your people. And leave the stress at the workshop door.<\/p>

    Bring on 2026<\/h5>

    Next year is just around the corner, and I, for one, am excited. There\u2019s real momentum in our industry, a buzz of anticipation, and I believe 2026 is going to be a year of opportunity: for innovation, for connection, and for continuing to lift the craft of signage in New Zealand.<\/p>

    So from me, the NZSDA Board, and the whole team – Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and thank you for being part of this incredible community.<\/p>

    Signing out for 2025,

    <\/p>

    Logan Sutton
    Creative Director \u2013 Future Grafix
    President \u2013 NZ Sign & Display Association<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Before we all disappear into the madness and magic of Christmas, I wanted to stop, take a breath, and reflect on just how far we\u2019ve come this year as an association.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21191,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nzsda-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21973"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21977,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21973\/revisions\/21977"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}