Ending the Year Strong: How to Rocket Into 2025 with Strategy and Purpose

Before you dive into the new year, it’s essential to take a moment for reflection. This isn’t about sugar-coating things or glossing over your mistakes—this is about being brutally honest with yourself. What worked? What didn’t?

For example, let’s say your business tried running a few campaigns, but they fell flat. Did you do a deep dive to understand why? Was it your targeting? Your offer? The creative? Or was it a matter of timing or an ineffective sales process?

One of the most valuable things you can do is pull up your reports, look at the numbers, and ask yourself, “What actually moved the needle this year?” Whether you gained new clients, lost some, or had a year of stagnation, it's important to identify the factors that made the biggest impact. Maybe you invested in training for your team, or perhaps you upgraded your technology stack to improve efficiency. These insights will provide a solid foundation for the next step: identifying your high-leverage actions.

Now that you’ve taken a cold, hard look at the past, it’s time to think about what you’ll focus on in 2025. The key here is to avoid distractions and focus on high-leverage actions—those moves that can significantly impact your bottom line.

For instance, let’s say you run a coating business. Maybe your main challenge has been scaling your sales process. A high-leverage action could be optimizing your sales funnel or investing in tools to automate follow-ups and nurture leads. Or perhaps your goal is to expand your customer base beyond local markets. You could focus on building a solid online presence through SEO and content marketing to attract regional (state-wide) or even national clients.

Here’s the thing: The more you can focus on one big, strategic action that drives results, the more you’ll see long-term, sustainable success. When you spread your energy too thin, you end up doing a lot of things that don’t have a meaningful impact. But when you focus on a single action that aligns with your business goals, you’ll be shocked at how much progress you make.

One of the best ways to start the year ahead of the competition is by creating a clear, actionable 90-day plan. Momentum is critical—starting strong sets the tone for the rest of the year. If you don’t have a plan, you’re essentially drifting, hoping something will work out.

Break down your goals into smaller, manageable chunks. Think about where you want to be in 90 days and what needs to happen for that to become a reality. Will you need to launch a new product line or service? Revamp your website to increase conversions? Or maybe you’ll invest in a new marketing strategy to target a different audience?

For example, let’s take a protective coatings business that’s looking to expand. The first 90 days could involve the following steps:

1. Week 1-2: Review and optimize your current sales pipeline. Are there gaps in your process? Identify areas for improvement.
2. Week 3-4: Launch a targeted Facebook/Instagram campaign to drive leads from businesses with high-performance coating needs.
3. Week 5-8: Focus on customer retention—set up automated emails to stay in touch with existing clients, introducing and offering them new solutions or updates.
4. Week 9-12: Build out partnerships with complementary businesses (e.g., industrial equipment suppliers, and/or maintenance companies) to generate more referrals.

The key here is action, not just ambition. It’s easy to say, “I’ll work on my business in the new year.” But if you don’t plan your first 90 days, those plans will get pushed to the side, lost in the chaos of the day-to-day grind.

Success in business is not about waiting for a miracle. As one of my mentors aptly put it, “Miracles are for lottery winners, not entrepreneurs.” Entrepreneurs create their own luck by taking control of their outcomes. You can’t wait for things to fall into place. If you want 2025 to be your most profitable year yet, you need to be the one packing your sleigh and charting your course.

Sure, there will be obstacles along the way, but that’s part of owning a business. What matters is how you respond to those challenges. Instead of “wishing” for success, create it by committing to your strategy and taking decisive, deliberate action.

As 2024 draws to a close, make a commitment to yourself and your business. Audit your year, identify high-leverage actions, and plan your first 90 days with precision. The seeds you plant now will determine how fruitful 2025 will be. Don’t wait for results—create them.

Remember, in the business world, the one who spends the most money to acquire a customer often wins. But it’s not just about spending—it’s about investing your money wisely, focusing your efforts on the strategies that will deliver the best return. Make 2025 the year you stop wishing and start doing.

When you decide to become the entrepreneur who takes charge, doesn’t just settle for average, and crafts the future you want, I guarantee 2025 will be your most successful year ever.  2025 is waiting for you to take the reins and win—so, what will you do differently to make it your best year yet?