No Small Plans: When the Vision Is Bigger Than Anything We've Done Before

On taking risks, trusting experience, and discovering what's possible beyond your comfort zone.

There was a point during the planning of One Region's 2026 Annual Luncheon when we looked at everything we'd committed to and wondered, Have we gotten ourselves in over our heads?

We had a big vision and a production plan unlike anything we'd ever tackled before. We were excited about what it could become, but we'd be lying if we said there weren't moments when we questioned whether we'd taken on too much.

Daniel Burnham famously urged people to “make no little plans.” His belief that bold ideas can inspire people and shape the future was the inspiration behind the luncheon theme, No Small Plans.

We wanted to tell the story of Northwest Indiana's ambitious future. What we didn't expect was how much that theme would end up reflecting our own experience producing the event.

When the Vision Raises the Bar

With more than 600 business and community leaders gathering to talk about the region's future, we felt the experience needed to be as ambitious as the conversations themselves.

Instead of a traditional luncheon, we envisioned a live-broadcast-style program with a more sophisticated stage production, intentional storytelling, and a visual experience that tied everything together. The program explored how water, energy, workforce, and infrastructure are shaping Northwest Indiana's future.

It was a lot to take on. The expectations were high, there were countless moving parts, and we knew how much was riding on getting it right.

There were definitely moments when a simpler approach sounded appealing.

But we kept coming back to one question:

If we're asking an entire region to think bigger, shouldn't the experience we're creating reflect that same ambition?

Growing Into the Challenge

We weren't going into this without experience. We'd each spent years building skills in our own fields, and over the past few years, we'd found more opportunities to bring those strengths together.

But this was different. This was a chance to put everything we'd learned to work on a scale neither of us had tackled before. And we knew there would be things we'd have to figure out along the way.

We leaned on each other, trusted the people we were working with, made adjustments when we needed to, and kept moving forward.

And something interesting happened. As the pieces started coming together, the things that had initially felt so intimidating began to feel possible.

Not necessarily easier. Just possible.

By the time the event arrived, we realized we'd done more than produce a luncheon. We'd pushed ourselves beyond what we thought we were ready to take on.

More Than an Event Theme

Looking back, No Small Plans means something different to us now.

It wasn't just the message we wanted to share about Northwest Indiana's future. It became a reminder to ourselves that sometimes you have to be willing to take on something that feels a little bigger than you're comfortable with.

For Studio Curate, this was a milestone. We learned a lot, stretched ourselves in ways we hadn't anticipated, and came away with a different perspective on what we could take on next.

We set out to produce an event about thinking bigger. In the process, we discovered just how much bigger we could think ourselves.

And maybe that's the part we'll remember most.

Sometimes the greatest risk isn't taking on something you've never done before.

It's letting the fear of doing it keep you from discovering what you're capable of.

— S & T

Sara & Tammy | Co-Founders, Studio Curate by S²