Reflecting on 2025: A Year of Growth, Grit, and Groundwork at UnoDeuce
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re taking a breath, looking back, and doing something we don’t always slow down enough to do—reflect. This past year at UnoDeuce was full of movement: new spaces, new ideas, bold experiments, meaningful wins, and some very real challenges. It was a year that stretched us creatively and emotionally, and one that laid the groundwork for something big ahead—our 25th anniversary in 2026.
So grab a coffee and settle in.
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A Fresh Start at the Nonprofit Hub
Every new chapter starts with a leap of faith, and for us here at UnoDeuce, that leap came early in 2025. When Child and Family Charities invited us to become part of the brand-new Nonprofit Hub, it was a no-brainer. It just made sense.
We moved in January—during Michigan winter, no less—hauling gear, painting walls, and turning an empty space into a functioning studio. It was cold, exhausting, and absolutely energizing.
Before everything was perfectly in place, we went live.
The new studio quickly became more than a workspace. It became a launchpad for creativity, collaboration, and conversations that mattered. From the very first broadcast, it was clear this move was about more than square footage—it was about proximity, purpose, and possibility.
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Launching the UnoCup and Live Event Innovation
One of the first big moments we’d like to highlight in the new space came with the launch of the UnoCup, a live-streamed UNO tournament created for the grand opening of the Nonprofit Hub.
What started as a fun idea turned into a full-scale event that involved a total of nine nonprofits competing, celebrity players and announcers, a packed room and an engaged livestream audience.
The energy was contagious. Laughter, competition and community all came together in one night. More importantly, the UnoCup showed what live, creative fundraising events could be. That night didn’t just break in the studio; it opened the door to a whole new service offering for UnoDeuce: high-quality, high-energy livestream production for nonprofits and community organizations.
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Building Smarter Learning Experiences
Behind the scenes, one of our biggest wins in 2025 was the development of customized learning management tools. We began helping organizations build flexible training platforms—virtual, in-studio, or hybrid—without the tech overwhelm.
Accessibility was a major focus. Through partnerships with 7C Lingo, we integrated ASL interpretation and foreign language captioning into our learning systems, ensuring content could truly reach everyone.
At its core, the goal was simple: make education more inclusive, more usable, and more human.
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Partnerships That Expanded Our Reach
UnoDeuce has never believed in going it alone, and 2025 reinforced how powerful collaboration can be. This year, partnerships with organizations like 7C Lingo, Gold Pro Media, and Lansing Public Media helped us expand beyond production into strategy.
Through our work with Gold Pro Media, we dove deeper into podcast planning—guest acquisition, sponsorship development, continuity, and marketing—helping shows grow sustainably instead of just episodically.
These relationships allowed us to bring more voices forward, more consistently, and with greater impact.
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Podcasting, Broadcast, and Local Stories
Podcast production remained a major pillar of our work. In 2025, shows like Arts Roll Call (with the Arts Council of Greater Lansing) and Mission Control continued to grow—evolving from audio-only formats into full broadcast experiences through Lansing Public Media.
More platforms meant more reach. More reach meant more stories shared. And for us, that’s always the point.
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A Record Year for Fundraising Impact
If there’s one area where 2025 truly stood out, it was fundraising. By fall, it felt like every weekend brought another event. In total, we supported nearly 15 fundraising events, providing audio/visual production, livestreams, and storytelling support.
The result? A record-breaking $1.5 million raised for nonprofits across the Lansing area.
That number matters but what matters more is what it represents: services funded, programs expanded, and communities supported. That’s why we do this work.
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Growth, Recognition, and Real Challenges
This year also brought recognition, including Platinum Community Votes awards for Videographer and Video Production Company. Being recognized by the community always means something special—especially during a year of so much change.
But 2025 wasn’t easy. There were stretches of uncertainty, stress, and moments when the weight of everything felt heavy. And toward the end of the year, our founder experienced a profound personal loss with the passing of his father—a lifelong supporter of UnoDeuce.
Grief has a way of clarifying what matters. Family. Purpose. People.
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Looking Ahead to 2026 and 25 Years of UnoDeuce
Despite the challenges, we’re stepping into 2026 with energy and intention. UnoDeuce turns 25 years old, and we’re planning to honor the journey—past, present, and future.
Expect:
– Special events and creative campaigns
– A refreshed website and new newsletter
– Deeper partnerships and new collaborations
– Continued innovation in how stories are told
We’re grateful for our partners, our clients, our team, our families, and this community that continues to show up.
As we head into the next chapter, one thing remains unchanged: our commitment to amplifying voices, supporting causes that matter, and telling stories that make a difference.
Here’s to 25 years and all of the exciting things that come next.