Marisa Sanchez-Dunning

what an incredible year 2025 was for us. the clients, creative partners, lessons learned, and everything in between — we truly wouldn’t trade it for anything 😏 between growing our client roster, welcoming FOUR incredible new team members, and deepening the impact of our work, the year moved fast (in the best way). We grew by 40%, partnered with so many inspiring brands, and continued to build work we’re genuinely proud of 👏🏽 along the way, Marisa had the honor of being featured on a handful of amazing podcasts, served as a judge for multiple design awards, and we took the show on the road to Expo West, connecting with founders and creatives doing truly meaningful work. We also successfully hosted another El Otro Lado — our Cinco de Mayo dinner — this time in Austin, Texas, which was a huge feat and one of the most special moments of the year for our community. At the end of all the beautiful chaos, one thing feels especially clear: we’re feeling really good about how we’re growing — thoughtfully, intentionally, and with impact at the center of everything we do. And now, as we step into 2026, we have so many exciting plans in motion. New ideas, new collaborations, new worlds we’re building behind the scenes — and we can’t wait to share what’s next 🔪

what an incredible year 2025 was for us. the clients, creative partners, lessons learned, and everything in between — we truly wouldn’t trade it for anything 😏 between growing our client roster, welcoming FOUR incredible new team members, and deepening the impact of our work, the year moved fast (in the best way). We grew by 40%, partnered with so many inspiring brands, and continued to build work we’re genuinely proud of 👏🏽 along the way, Marisa had the honor of being featured on a handful of amazing podcasts, served as a judge for multiple design awards, and we took the show on the road to Expo West, connecting with founders and creatives doing truly meaningful work. We also successfully hosted another El Otro Lado — our Cinco de Mayo dinner — this time in Austin, Texas, which was a huge feat and one of the most special moments of the year for our community. At the end of all the beautiful chaos, one thing feels especially clear: we’re feeling really good about how we’re growing — thoughtfully, intentionally, and with impact at the center of everything we do. And now, as we step into 2026, we have so many exciting plans in motion. New ideas, new collaborations, new worlds we’re building behind the scenes — and we can’t wait to share what’s next 🔪

what an incredible year 2025 was for us. the clients, creative partners, lessons learned, and everything in between — we truly wouldn’t trade it for anything 😏 between growing our client roster, welcoming FOUR incredible new team members, and deepening the impact of our work, the year moved fast (in the best way). We grew by 40%, partnered with so many inspiring brands, and continued to build work we’re genuinely proud of 👏🏽 along the way, Marisa had the honor of being featured on a handful of amazing podcasts, served as a judge for multiple design awards, and we took the show on the road to Expo West, connecting with founders and creatives doing truly meaningful work. We also successfully hosted another El Otro Lado — our Cinco de Mayo dinner — this time in Austin, Texas, which was a huge feat and one of the most special moments of the year for our community. At the end of all the beautiful chaos, one thing feels especially clear: we’re feeling really good about how we’re growing — thoughtfully, intentionally, and with impact at the center of everything we do. And now, as we step into 2026, we have so many exciting plans in motion. New ideas, new collaborations, new worlds we’re building behind the scenes — and we can’t wait to share what’s next 🔪

survived one of the busiest weeks in our agency’s four-year history 🔪 recovery plan? @loveski.deli for breakfast, lunch & dinner 👏🏽

last one, we swear 😙👏🏽 soaking this one in a little extra! really proud of this one, and *extremely* proud of the collaboration behind it. design: @bysofiallaguno animation: @momojiang.design lfg 🫶🏽

still kind of surreal to say this out loud, but our small, young, chicana-owned design agency won a @thedieline award this week in NYC for our work with @bysofiallaguno 🔪 for so many designers, studios, and creative teams, the dieline has always felt like one of those north stars in the packaging world. the kind of platform you grow up studying, bookmarking, referencing, and dreaming about being featured on one day. being in a room full of so many talented people whose work we’ve admired for years honestly meant a lot. more than anything, this moment reminded me how collaborative great work really is. getting to build this alongside another Mexican creative made the work what it became. there was so much trust, instinct, and care behind every decision, and i think you can feel that in the final outcome. some creative partnerships just click. endlessly grateful for your talent and vision, @bysofiallaguno & very proud of what we made 👏🏽 this was also one of those projects we said yes to *purely * because we believed in what it could become creatively. we poured everything into it, and seeing it recognized on this level feels incredibly full circle. also very special getting to celebrate with @agibbsdesign , @cubanalex @billmccool , @chloecordover , and the entire The Dieline team. you can really feel how much they care about the design community and the future of this industry. big moment for our young studio & we are very, very grateful 🪩🖤

What an honor for Tozi’s packaging design to receive 3rd place at @thedieline ! So rewarding to watch this brand continue to grow. Inspired by Aztec architecture, the packaging system was built to stand out confidently on shelf while creating room for the brand to expand over time. Big thanks to the @tozifoods team and @ifonlycreative for the collaboration.

some full circle moments just make sense 👏🏽 years ago, jessica and i first met while i was a partner at another design agency rooted in sustainability. since then, we’ve stayed in each other’s orbit, cheering each other on through different chapters of our careers, creative growth, and visions for what thoughtful design can actually look like in the world. today, i’m incredibly proud to officially announce Jessica Deseo as If Only Creative’s new Working Partner. jessica is a multi-hyphenate creative with an extensive background spanning graphic design, packaging, publishing, education, and mentorship. for the past eight years, she has taught packaging design at ArtCenter College of Design, championing sustainable practices and mentoring students whose work has gone on to receive recognition from D&AD, The One Show, Core77, and Pentawards. she’s also a partner at PRINT Magazine, founder of CoolWish, and an active mentor and juror within the design community. but beyond all of that, i’m deeply grateful for her unconditional support of If Only Creative, our vision, and the kind of work we believe in building. having someone of her caliber not only believe in what we’re creating, but actively step into building it alongside us, feels incredibly special. BIG THINGS AHEAD 🖤🪩 - marisa

a little peek into what we’ve been cooking up behind the scenes 🧄 🧑‍🍳 brands don’t come together overnight, it’s layers, intention, and a lot of iteration—we can’t wait to share the branding for @nidaflavor 🔥

special interview footage from last year in austin, talking about el otro lado and what it means to us 🖤 it’s been incredibly inspiring to see how this has evolved into what it is today, the community we’ve been able to grow and what we’re continuing to build. this year is shaping up to be be our biggest one yet 🌞 see you tuesday, SF @donajisanfrancisco ✊🏽

if only we could reach through the screen and grab a bite 😉 a few favorites from this incredibly fun, after hours shoot at café brusco, from the team behind @rose.pizzeria 🌹 delicious bagels, a sick wine list, phenomenal coffee, and beautiful interior design? what more could you need ✌️

we’re really honored to welcome @jesusverde back to el otro lado this year 👏🏽 from @thehaciendaatx in austin, partner at bar mauro in mexico city, and bar snack in new york. one of those people you feel lucky to have in the room, he’s one of the most exciting creative forces in cocktails right now, with a palate that’s sharp, playful, and entirely his own. we’re humbled to have him shape this year’s program and celebrate with us here in the bay area, in san francisco’s mission district @donajisanfrancisco 👏🏽 first course pairing paloma verde tomatillo, grapefruit, tequila, co2 second course pairing melon basil spritz gin, basil, melon, bergamot, verjus, white wine third course pairing pineapple margarita tequila, tomato, pineapple, rosé pamplemousse, spice fourth course pairing caragigalo cognac, reposado tequila, vermouth, amaro, miso cordial, coffee with 50 seats, sold out & donating a portion of proceeds to @friendshiphousesf , it’s our biggest el otro lado yet and definitely going to be one to remember 😙