2024: A Year of Growth, Impact, and Connection
As 2024 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on an incredible year filled with milestones, challenges, and meaningful progress—plus a few epic to-do lists that somehow spawned their own to-do lists. This has been a year of transformation—one that deepened my commitment to health, wellness, and the power of plant medicine and psychedelic science (and reminded me that coffee and optimism are essential research tools). It has been humbling and inspiring to see the seeds of my vision take root and grow, thanks to the support of an amazing community, collaborators, and clients who’ve graciously overlooked my tendency to overschedule and overdream.
Building Systems for Healing and Innovation
One of the highlights of this year was the successful design and launch of Modern Medicine Services, an integrative medicine and mental health practice in Los Angeles. This project solidified my belief in the growing demand for innovative, holistic healthcare models. Having previously contributed to two similar practices and drawn from my industry experience, I am more convinced than ever that private integrative medicine and mental health practices are the future. These spaces don’t just provide care—they cultivate connection, healing, and transformation.
Beyond Consulting, the consulting firm I’ve built, has been pivotal in this journey. This year, we expanded our scope of work, offering not only clinical design expertise but also science and research solutions tailored to plant medicine brands, psychedelic organizations, and nonprofits. By curating a talented and diverse advisory team, I’ve been able to bring innovative, multidisciplinary solutions to our clients. From operations and strategy to marketing and branding, we’re fostering growth in a way that aligns with our mission to democratize access to reliable, impactful research.
Advancing Research and Advocacy
In 2024, research took center stage. A key project was our collaboration with KA!, a Kanna supplement company, to conduct a study demonstrating the product’s efficacy and safety. This effort was about more than just science—it was about building consumer trust in a saturated, unregulated market. By leveraging tools like the Chloe research platform from People Science, we’ve been able to make high-quality research more accessible and impactful. Good research doesn’t just provide answers; it drives education, builds trust, and lays the foundation for growth.
A project investigating psychedelic use and headaches finally received ethics board approval, and we, at the Microdosing Collective, are very excited to launch it in 2025! And, a case report on psychedelic use in spinal cord injury is nearing completion—albeit fashionably late, as it was originally slated to be wrapped up in 2024.
Advocacy has also been a major focus. Whether through my TED talk, Reclaiming Connection: Ancient Wisdom and Modern Psychedelics for the Contemporary Soul, or partnerships with forward-thinking organizations, I’ve worked to amplify the message of how plant medicine and psychedelics can transform lives. From palliative care to couples therapy, these tools are reshaping our understanding of connection and healing.
Creativity and Community
This year has also been about reconnecting with creativity. Through my work with Public Secret, my music business, I’ve been reminded of the power of art to inspire and heal. Whether it’s producing new tracks, performing live, or curating playlists for wellness events, music has been a joyful way to connect with others and share stories that resonate deeply. One standout moment was organizing a sunrise, oceanside Secret Sessions, where we gathered at the break of dawn, only to be greeted by a marine layer that obscured any kind of sunrise. The silver lining was a pod of dolphins that danced with us and brought a smile to our faces. PS artists hit some major milestones this year, and I’m proud and in admiration of their unfaltering dedication to their craft.
2024 also included some unforgettable adventures—from hiking in national parks to attending a few quirky, off-the-beaten-path festivals celebrating art, community, and connection. These experiences reminded me of the importance of balance and play, which fuel creativity and recharge the spirit.
Lessons in Solopreneurship
Being a solopreneur for Beyond Consulting, since 2023, has been a journey of both immense growth and undeniable challenges. The freedom to shape my vision and execute projects independently has been empowering, but has also come with moments of isolation and the weight of wearing many hats—sometimes literally, as I’ve discovered that a "founder" hat pairs surprisingly well with pajama pants. This year taught me the importance of balance, resilience, self-motivation, and the value of leaning into my network for support and inspiration. Although I tried hard to avoid it, I learned that I did need to subscribe to 7 am workouts, otherwise, they would not get done! I also learned that burning the midnight oil to finish writing assignments often meant gaining an extra hour of sleep and having to go makeup free on podcast interviews. That quickly became very OK with me!
Looking ahead to 2025, I am excited to transition from solopreneurship to actively building and working with a dedicated team. By bringing together diverse talents and perspectives, we can grow our collective impact, amplify our reach, and tackle larger, more ambitious projects. Collaboration will be the cornerstone of this next chapter, allowing us to achieve far more than I could on my own.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As I look forward to 2025, I see a year of scaling and deepening impact. Here are some of the goals I’m excited to pursue:
Expanding Beyond Consulting’s Reach: Bringing more projects and clients on board, which means growing the team!
Driving Thought Leadership: Publishing articles, launching new talks, and continuing to advocate for accessible, reliable science.
Launching Flagship Projects: Building on this year’s successes to design new programs to change policy around psychedelics in the state of California.
Fostering Community: Creating resources and events that inspire connection and learning on a broader scale.
Finding joy, even when challenged.
If there’s one lesson 2024 has taught me, it’s that progress comes from collaboration and the courage to pursue bold ideas. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey—clients, advisors, collaborators, supporters, friends, and family. Together, we’re building something truly transformative.
Here’s to a bright, impactful, and inspiring 2025!
With gratitude,
Stephanie Karzon Abrams
