For the last four years, every January, I pick a few words that set the tone for how I want to lead, live, and show up. This year, they came to me faster than usual: Joy. Kindness. Forward thinking.

These three words don’t just describe how I want to approach 2026—they capture how Red Thinking got here in the first place.

Finding Joy

Let’s start with the fun one.

Joy shows up for me when I see my team high-fiving in our #cheersforpeers or #clientkudos Slack channels after a big client win or when I catch that knowing look that says, “We nailed it … and then some.”

Red Thinking has been doing what we do best for over a decade, but I still get that same rush when something clicks, when a brand comes to life, a strategy lands, or a client says, “You just get us.” That’s joy.

I was “raised” in this industry by a mix of movers, thinkers, and character builders. Some were great, some were fine, and all taught me something. Over time, that shaped how I lead now with gratitude, curiosity, and respect for the people who choose to do this work alongside me.

During internal kickoffs, there’s always a moment when I mention how I know the person we’re about to work with or how they came to us through another client. Those moments remind me that this company, this creative, passionate, occasionally hair-on-fire team, is delivering work people genuinely love talking about.

That’s not luck. That’s joy backed by purpose.

Spreading Kindness 

My daughter likes to joke that when she goes on her first date, she’ll have to leave the county because her dad and I know everyone. And she’s not wrong. We know people because we’re connectors. We’re problem-solvers. We want to help.

In business and in life, that’s how we operate: We listen, we show up. It’s an Onorio family rule led by kindness and manners.

Kindness sounds simple, but it’s actually a competitive advantage. Sometimes it means giving a client tough love or helping them see what they can’t yet. Sometimes it’s knowing when someone on our team needs space. And sometimes it’s as simple as making someone smile on a bad day because you took the time to really listen.

At Red Thinking, we respect our clients and each other. We’re kind, good-hearted, a little funny, and, holy smokes, smart.

A Focus on Forward Thinking

This is where the magic happens.

We call ourselves Red Thinking for a reason. As a brand strategy and design agency, thinking is what we do best. Strategy, design, digital execution—it all starts with the ability to see what’s next and prepare for it before everyone else does.

To me, 2026 feels like a year of evolution. Not just for our clients, but for us, too. This coming year, we’ll continue to balance bold creativity with data-driven precision, integrate digital and design in more innovative ways, and build a team that thrives on collaboration, not competition.

Forward thinking means staying curious, agile, and a little bit fearless. We’re not chasing trends. We’re shaping what’s next to deliver the best results for our clients.

Looking Ahead

As we step into this new year, joy will keep our work fun and our team inspired. Kindness will remind us to care about the people behind every brand and each other. And forward thinking will keep us learning, evolving, and helping our clients do the same. 

That’s how we do it here. That’s Red Thinking.