December 7, 2025 - 10:06pm - by

By Luke Thiessen, Director

The past year has been an interesting one at Staring Social, to say the least. 

After the sudden passing of our founder, Alyson, the team wanted nothing more than to continue doing the work we’ve always done, continue partnering with our amazing clients, and continue the legacy that Alyson built here at Starling.

I joined the team at the turn of the new year, and it’s been a journey getting to know our team and our clients – in many cases for the first time – and seeing where I could bring fresh eyes and energy to our work. 

Without getting into a laundry list of shout-outs, I want to say thank you to each of our clients and team members, as truly each of them have taught me something this year. It has felt surreal to step into the shoes of my best friend and take the wheel of this business I have long admired from a short distance – but at so many turns I have encountered kindness and generosity, and I appreciate it deeply.

New Work

In a year of economic challenges and uncertainty, especially for Canadian businesses, we were fortunate to bring some wonderful new clients on board and deliver some digital marketing wins.

One of my favourite new projects from this past year was Transcona Golf Club, who partnered with us to produce content for their social media, promoting both their golf course and clubhouse restaurant. The team there allowed us to come in with some creative ideas for video content especially, and the results speak for themselves – check them out on Instagram and Facebook for some fun golf content (and a great place to eat in the off-season!).

We were also fortunate to partner with Manitoba Chamber Orchestra this year to help with advertising their new season. The MCO was very dear to Alyson, as she was a volunteer board member with the organization and a huge fan of their work. Check out their award-winning performances with some exciting new shows starting in February!

Continuing Alyson’s Legacy

When I came on board, it was important to me – and to the whole Starling team – that Alyson remain a guiding force in everything we do. After all, it was her vision and principles that made Starling Social what it is, and I believe every team member here has learned something from Alyson that shaped their craft as well. 

So, while a lot has changed at Starling this past year, there’s also a lot which has stayed the same. 

In June we sponsored the Fort Garry Women’s Resource Centre’s annual fundraising event, continuing our support for a cause dear to Alyson’s heart.

In September, we gave everyone on our team $100 to spend at an Indigenous-owned local business, in honour of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – another tradition Alyson started and we have committed to continuing.

And throughout the past year, we have worked hard to honour everything Alyson built at Starling by delivering the very best for our clients and holding true to our values. 

In addition to continuing Alyson’s legacy here at Starling Social, and along with many of her family and friends, we are also supporting the Alyson Shane Memorial Award, a new scholarship through the University of Winnipeg Foundation. The award will be given each year to a student pursuing a degree in Rhetoric & Communication, with preference given to those who identify as female, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, or coming from other marginalized communities.

To learn more about this award or to make a donation of your own, visit the Foundation website here.

Looking Forward

Beyond the changes we’ve already gone through this past year at Starling, we know the industry itself is changing around us. Many business sectors are facing economic challenges, and may be pivoting to different customer bases and audiences. AI is becoming a juggernaut that has much of the digital marketing sector holding its breath.

But we know there will always be a market for original ideas, good writing, and strategy borne of experience and creativity. As we have for more than a decade, we continue to learn and adapt, follow the data, implement best practices, and bring our unique perspective to every client and project.

If you are unsure of what your marketing should look like in 2026, we would be happy to help. From navigating new and changing social platforms to adapting to agentic AI search engines, and everything in between – we’ve been working on this every day, and would love to put our experience to work for you. Drop us a line.

From the whole Starling Social team, we wish you a safe and joyous holiday season and a happy new year to come.