A Small Business Strategist’s Guide to Planning Your Best Year in 2025
Nov 08, 2024
Tis the season. It’s that time of year where I have glow-in-the-dark spider webs on my nails, my neighbors have already put up their Christmas lights, and I’m seriously wondering if Thanksgiving still exists or if we just go straight from Halloween to Christmas! I mean, I haven’t even had my fill of pumpkin spice chai yet.
But in all seriousness, whether you’re ready or not, it’s November, and as a business owner, that means it’s time to start thinking about what you want for your business in the new year. So today, I want to give a real-time update on my planning process for 2025—what I’m doing right now and how you can approach it differently, so you’re ready to start the new year with clarity and intention. Here’s a small business strategist’s framework to help you set up for a successful year.
Common Planning Pitfalls for Business Owners
Many business owners make similar mistakes when it comes to annual planning. I’ve been guilty of these myself! Here are a few missteps you may recognize:
- Going Month to Month – Planning just for January and then scrambling for each month after.
- Setting a Single Income Goal and Dividing by 12 – Hoping that reaching a monthly income target without a clear strategy will just work out.
- Looking at Expenses and Deciding What You Need to Make – Simply calculating what you need to break even without thinking strategically.
- Over-planning Launches – Mapping out every detail and forgetting that you actually want to have a life (hint: plan more vacations, and don’t work on vacation!).
If any of these sound familiar, you’re not alone. These approaches lack a clear business strategy framework, and they can leave you exhausted by the year’s end. Let’s dive into three practical steps that allow you to plan in a way that puts your life first.
Step 1: Start with Life First
When I sit down to plan a new year, I use what I call a “life-priorities-first business model.” Instead of just looking at my business calendar, I start by mapping out my personal calendar. This approach not only keeps me sane, but it’s also what I teach inside my Collective Co-Op program. Life should be front and center.
Mapping Your Year: Prioritizing What Matters Most
Grab a calendar (a big one if you can!), and start mapping out your year by focusing on:
- Holidays, Birthdays, and Family Vacations – When are the times you want to be fully present with loved ones?
- Conferences and Events – Are there specific industry conferences, trainings, or speaking events you want to attend?
- Major Sales Dates – Think about times like Black Friday, holiday sales, or even Prime Day if you plan product launches around retail events.
An example of how this works: Let’s say I want to plan vacations for January, March, June, and September. I also know my kids have no-school days throughout the year, and I’m planning to attend a couple of key conferences. By mapping these out first, I ensure my personal life doesn’t get lost in my business schedule. I’m also a big fan of Christmas in July but not Black Friday, so that informs how I map out my holiday sales efforts.
Once you have these mapped out, brainstorm around them. This allows you to prioritize and balance your business growth strategy with personal goals.
Step 2: Conduct a Look-Back Analysis
Before jumping into new plans, it’s crucial to evaluate the previous year’s performance. A thorough look-back analysis lets you identify what worked and what didn’t so you can be intentional about what comes next.
How to Perform a Look-Back Analysis
When I first started doing this, I used a simple journal, jotting down thoughts on what worked well and where I felt frustrated. Now, I use a business scorecard in my business that tracks key performance metrics in one place. For example, when reviewing revenue, I look at:
- What products or services were the top performers?
- Which strategies generated the most engagement or leads?
- What activities felt like energy-drainers?
By gathering this data, you’re not just picking random dates for launches. You’re using real data to craft a business strategy specialist approach for the coming year. This analysis helps you shift your mindset too—data is power! You already have everything you need to be successful. This is about making data work for you to fuel your next level.
Step 3: Play with the Numbers
Yes, I just said “play” with numbers, and yes, it’s possible to have fun with spreadsheets! Inside the Collective Co-Op, we have a business scorecard that helps our members track data and look at different revenue models.
Find Your Guiding Hourly Rate
First, let’s calculate your guiding hourly rate. This isn’t what you charge per hour, but a benchmark for understanding the value of your time. Here’s how to calculate it:
- Decide how many hours you want to work per year.
- Divide your income goal by the hours you want to work.
For example, if your annual revenue goal is $120,000 and you want to work 2000 hours, your hourly rate is $60. Each time you consider a new project, ask if it aligns with your guiding rate. If a project doesn’t feel like it’s worth $60 an hour to you, it might not be a good fit.
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Experiment with Different Revenue Models
Now, let’s look at your product or service lineup like it’s a puzzle. Play with different revenue combinations, like:
- Ten courses + five 1:1 sessions + two VIP days
- Membership model with recurring income vs. project-based work
Does your revenue goal align with this combination? This step allows you to explore options without locking in decisions right away. It’s all about experimenting until you find a combination that supports both your goals and the lifestyle you want.
Final Step: Sync It All with Your Calendar
Now that you’ve mapped out life priorities, done a look-back analysis, and played with your revenue goals, it’s time to put it all together. Sync these pieces with your calendar by following a simple backward planning process.
Backward Planning Example
Let’s say you want to launch a new course in May. Here’s how to break it down:
- Launch Date: May
- Preparation Time Needed: Three months
- Start Date: February
Mark it on your calendar, making room for each step along the way so you’re not scrambling at the last minute. Planning with intention, courage, and flexibility, as Brene Brown says, gives you control over your time and energy. And isn’t that why you became a business owner in the first place?
Bringing It All Together
To recap, these are the core steps for creating a balanced, intentional business growth strategy:
- Start with Life First – Map out your personal priorities to keep life and business aligned.
- Conduct a Look-Back Analysis – Identify what worked and didn’t to shape next year’s strategy.
- Play with Numbers – Experiment with different revenue models to create a plan that feels both exciting and manageable.
- Sync Everything with Your Calendar – Use backward planning to reduce stress and stay organized.
By combining these steps, you’ll have a clear business growth strategy framework. Strategic planning isn’t just for big companies—it’s one of my favorite activities as a small business strategist because it makes your business work for you.
If you need help with your own planning, reach out!
Happy planning for 2025—may it be your best year yet!
Other Planning Resources:
- Grab your Crush the Rush quarterly small business planner and take control of your schedule
- How to leverage maternity leave or sabbatical as a small business owner
-
How to Conquer Your Year, One Quarter at a Time With The Ultimate Planner For Female Entrepreneurs
-
The Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Dream Schedule with CEO Week
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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