Reflecting on Three Years of Duly Noted
As I reflect on Duly Noted’s first three years, I cannot believe how quickly time has flown by. I’m incredibly grateful for the personal growth, client trust, and heartfelt connections that have shaped my journey developing this company so far. What began as a personal passion for translating communication science research into practical tools for everyday life has grown into a thriving consulting practice where I focus on helping individuals and families strengthen their relationships at home and in the workplace. While there are so many things from these first three years that stand out to me as “highlights” of DN’s growth, there are a few aspects of our progress that I’m really excited to share with you in this brief blog post: 1) client engagement, 2) our summer internship program, 3) successful research translation, 4) essential infrastructure development, and 5) continued commitment to my professional development.
At the very heart of this company, our client growth and success will always be of the utmost importance. We have welcomed far more clients than I initially anticipated, and helped all of them reach the interpersonal communication goals we identified. As exciting as new clients can be, seeing so many individuals and families return to continue their work with us over time as they pursue new goals is extremely fulfilling. It shows their trust in DN’s methods to help them gain valuable skills and improve their close relationships that impact their daily lives. Watching our amazing clients create healthier communication habits, navigate conflict more effectively, and strengthen their interpersonal networks has truly reinforced exactly why this research-in-practice work matters so much to me.
An additional highlight of DN’s first three years was the opportunity to design and execute a summer internship program for college students. The goal of the program was to give students a unique startup experience in which they could meaningfully contribute while learning about communication research, educational outreach, content strategy, and the day-to-day realities of building a mission-driven business. Seeing our interns grow in confidence and skills while supporting Duly Noted’s mission was far more rewarding than I had dreamed when envisioning our internship program. In fact, given the program's success, we’ve run follow-up semesters to capitalize on the initial Summer 2024 momentum, hosting interns in Fall 2024, Summer 2025, and now Summer 2026.
Another aspect of DN’s growth that has exceeded my expectations is the extent to which we’ve successfully translated communication research into accessible, practical resources for the public. From educational social media content and the free tools we provide online, to — of course — the science-backed strategies we discuss during client sessions, this company has always been all about ensuring that communication research feels approachable, actionable, and genuinely useful in everyone’s daily lives.
In tandem with our more public-facing translation of communication science research, we’ve also continued building stronger infrastructure behind the scenes to better support both our clients and DN’s long-term growth. One development I’m especially proud of is our client intake pipeline. This series of pre-planned introductory sessions is thoughtfully crafted to give clients immediate access to helpful tools and resources, while also allowing me to better understand their goals, experiences, and needs. This formalized intake process helps DN craft more personalized strategies as clients enter the next phase of their communication-skill development journey with us.
While I wish I could say most of my days are spent in the weeds of R&D projects like our intake pipeline or getting facetime with our amazing clients, much of my workweek is dedicated to my PhD responsibilities at this stage in my career. So on a daily basis, I’m reading, writing, and researching for my preliminary examinations — and my goodness, it is a challenge. BUT! I love where I am in this season of learning and professional development because all of the work I’m doing for my PhD will ultimately fuel the work I do for DN. Continuing to deepen my understanding of communication science through my doctoral program strengthens my resolve every day to make DN a success in translating research to practice. Although I’m deeply appreciative of the research and teaching skills I’m extending during this stage of my educational development, I’m also incredibly excited to return to Duly Noted in a more full-time capacity once my PhD is complete so that I can continue growing the impact of my in-practice work through the company.
All in all, these first three years for DN have been filled with learning, growth, loads of creative shifts, and development of truly meaningful human connections. I’m so deeply thankful to everyone who has trusted and supported me, and to Duly Noted for helping them grow their communication skills, as we are still very much in a growing process ourselves. I’m so excited for what’s ahead!
