How to Plan a Purposeful and Profitable 2025

Ah, December. That magical time of year when the remnants of Christmas lights linger and it's hard to believe it is almost a new year. Personally, I’m still savoring my peppermint chai—but whether we like it or not, it’s time to think ahead. It's the perfect moment to start planning for the new year.

So, let’s get real. Planning for 2025 doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In fact, it can be an exciting opportunity to align your life and business in a way that feels intentional and sustainable. And maybe even fun! Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how I’m planning for next year, complete with actionable steps to help you do the same. Let’s make 2025 your best year yet.

Mistakes Most Business Owners Make

Before diving into the good stuff, let’s address some common pitfalls in annual planning. Maybe you’ve done one (or all) of these before:

• Planning month-to-month: You map out January but forget the rest of the year exists.

• Setting an income goal and dividing it by 12: Spoiler alert—that’s not how cash flow works.

• Basing income goals on expenses: This backward approach can limit your growth.

• Over-planning launches: You meticulously schedule every detail… and forget to plan for vacations or downtime. (Psst: don’t work on vacation—instead, plan more vacations!)

Sound familiar? Don’t worry. We’re flipping the script this year by putting life first.

Step 1: Plan Life First

A life-first business model is the foundation of my planning process, and it’s a core principle I teach in our Collective Co-Op program. The idea is simple: your business should work around your life, not the other way around.

Start with the Big Picture

Grab a calendar—digital or paper—and start brainstorming:

• Holidays, birthdays, and vacations: When do you want to take time off?

• Family activities: Kids’ school schedules, spring breaks, and other key dates.

• Major events: Conferences, speaking engagements, or industry-specific sales like Prime Day (yes, people now plan launches around Amazon sales).

Here’s what this might look like:

• Vacations in January, March, June, and September

• Kids’ no-school days

• Conferences to attend or speak at

• Seasonal preferences: Love Christmas in July, hate Black Friday chaos

Once you’ve mapped out these life priorities, everything goes on a BIG shared calendar (mine’s in my office, and my husband and I both use it). The goal is to plan life first and then brainstorm around it. 

Step 2: Conduct a Lookback Analysis

Planning isn’t just about looking forward—it’s also about learning from the past. Before setting 2025 goals, I always do a lookback analysis to reflect on what worked (and didn’t) in the previous year.

Years ago, I used to journal my reflections—a process that was therapeutic but lacked structure. Today, I use a business scorecard (this is also available to our Collective Co-Op members) to track key metrics like revenue, expenses, and client acquisition trends. This tool helps me make data-driven decisions that align with my life-first priorities.

Mindset Shift: Data as Power

Here’s the thing: you already have everything you need to be successful. Your data—financial and otherwise—is your secret weapon. Let’s use it to create a schedule that fuels your growth while leaving room for what matters most.

Step 3: Play with Your Numbers

Yes, I just used the words “play” and “numbers” in the same sentence. If spreadsheets make you break out in a cold sweat, consider this your invitation to have more fun with your finances.

Calculate Your Guiding Hourly Rate

First, figure out your guiding hourly rate (not to be confused with what you charge clients). Here’s how:

1. Decide how many hours you want to work in 2025.

2. Divide your revenue goal by that number.

Let’s say your rate is $600/hour. Every time you say yes to something, ask yourself: Is this worth $600 to me?

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Experiment with Revenue Models

Next, it’s time to play! Think of your income streams like puzzle pieces. How can you combine them to meet your goals? For example, maybe it’s 10 courses, 5 one-on-one clients, and 2 VIP sessions. Or maybe you launch a membership instead. Does this mix align with your income goals and lifestyle?

In the Collective Co-Op, we work through this process together, using the business scorecard to map out realistic 90-day plans.

Evaluate Expenses

Finally, review your expenses. Ask yourself:

• What did I pay for last year?

• Are there opportunities to save? (Pro tip: Paying annually for subscriptions can save you thousands.)

For example, consolidating subscriptions saved me over $3,500 last year—that’s a holiday bonus in my book!

Step 4: Sync It with Your Calendar

Here’s where we bring it all together. Once you’ve mapped out your life-first priorities, done your lookback analysis, and played with your numbers, it’s time to sync everything into a cohesive plan.

Work Backwards

Let’s say you want to launch a new course in May—a high-performing month for your business. To make that happen:

1. Identify big rocks (e.g., vacations, other launches) that might impact your timeline.

2. Estimate how long you’ll need to create the course (high-level planning only).

3. Mark your estimated start date on the calendar—maybe February, giving yourself three months to prepare.

Embrace Intentional Planning

Planning with intention isn’t about controlling every outcome. As Brené Brown wisely says: “While we may not have control over every outcome, we do have the power to plan with intention, courage, and flexibility.”

By following these steps, you’ll feel empowered to take control of your actions, build a schedule that aligns with your values, and leave room for what fuels your cup. After all, isn’t that why you started your business in the first place?

Still Need Help?

Strategic planning is one of my favorite activities EVER. If it’s not your jam, let’s chat. I’m happy to help answer questions or brainstorm ideas.

Here’s to a purposeful, profitable, and joy-filled 2025. Happy planning!

About the author

Holly Haynes is a business strategist who loves a good plan and flow chart. She is crazy passionate about teaching women like you how to build your dream job and scale to 6-figures without sacrificing your weekends or priorities.

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