This is part 2 of our new year planning series, focusing specifically on business reflection and planning.

I first did this exact exercise in December 2023, and I’ve followed the same format every year since. It’s become one of the most valuable routines I have for my business – every time I revisit it, I walk into the next year with direction instead of mental clutter.

My First Planning Retreat

Let me take you back to that first planning session in December 2023. I took myself on a solo end-of-year planning trip to the beach, and it ended up being the best thing I could’ve done for my business. It was clarifying, motivating, and left me feeling the most organized I’d felt in a long time.

I rented a beachfront condo all to myself. My routine looked like this: sit on the balcony before sunrise, drink coffee and read my Bible, work through my business reflection framework, take a walk along the beach with my second cup of coffee (bundled up in my puffer jacket), come back for a quick workout with dumbbells and resistance bands, make breakfast and lunch from groceries, and order takeout dinner from local beach restaurants.

That trip was both a reward for the growth I’d seen in 2023 and a tax write-off. I have yet to repeat it, but as I’m recording this episode, I’ve decided it must happen again – maybe at the end of 2026??

Making It Work for Your Season

I know the large majority of you still have kids living under your roof, so escaping for a weekend or even a full day to dedicate time to reflecting and planning feels unrealistic. Life looks different for me now too – I’ve taken a few trips this year, I now have two kids to care for, my schedule feels fuller than ever, and we’re saving up to buy my husband a truck in cash.

So I’m staying close to home this year, but still following this exact same review. Maybe you can carve out a Saturday morning at a coffee shop or a two-hour period during a child’s nap. Whatever works for you – you don’t need a perfect setup. Maybe just a few hours at Starbucks. Give yourself space to think.

Part 1: The Operational Side

This is a 5-step process where steps 1-3 focus on looking back at the year that just happened, and steps 4-5 focus on looking forward to set goals and plan for the future.

I can’t take full credit for this format – my inspiration came from watching two business owners I deeply respect (@thesalesgirlsofficial) take their team on an end-of-year retreat. I’ve added my own spin over the years.

Step 1: SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Here are the questions to guide your analysis:

Strengths: What am I really good at? Where does my business excel? What am I proud of?

Weaknesses: What negative attributes limit my performance or hinder growth?

Opportunities: What can I implement to improve myself or my business? What can I leverage to reach my goals?

Threats: What could harm my business or create challenges I need to acknowledge?

Step 2: Brain Dump Your SWOT

There are no rules here. Write everything down – the thoughts only you understand, things you may hate to admit about yourself when it comes to weaknesses, and strengths you’re truly proud of but may not want to voice out loud for fear that people will interpret it as bragging.

We aren’t working on solutions to our problems yet. We are just unloading what’s in our head.

Step 3: List Your Accomplishments

Business: What was my greatest business accomplishment of 2025?

Personal: What was my greatest personal accomplishment of 2025?

Step 4: Create a 3-Year Picture

Pretend it’s the end of 2028 (three years from now) and answer these questions:

Revenue: What will it be?

Business Vision: What will it look like?

Team: How many people will work for me?

Work Environment: What will it look like?

Systems: What will I need?

Tech: What will I need?

Clients: How many will I have?

Operational Effectiveness: What will that look like?

Example from my 2023 reflection: “At the end of 2026, Karlee Lynn Fitness will operate on a 3-day workweek and Pump Merch will have grown into a small warehouse.”

This is hilarious now, considering Pump Merch has been on the backburner for almost a full year. Back then, it was ripping and roaring, and I was convinced it would only keep growing. Life and business shift with the seasons – if you feel like you’re constantly pivoting and re-prioritizing, you’re not alone. Me too.

Another example regarding team: “I will have hired 2 virtual assistants that I meet with weekly. These VAs are high-achievers and elevate my business through content creation and automations. I am able to work on my business instead of constantly working in it.”

As an update – I don’t think I need 2 VAs, but I do think I would benefit from 1. I currently wear every single hat in my business, so this is still a goal for me to fulfill by 2026.

Example for operational effectiveness: Assigned tasks by day – Monday: CEO/admin and team meetings, Tuesday: 1:1 clients, Wednesday: content creation, Thursday: newsletter and workout program planning.

I actually followed this for a while, but now the only recurring workday that’s stayed consistent is my 1:1 client check-ins. I still enter each week with intention, but I don’t hold so firmly to that plan that I end up spiraling if it doesn’t happen. I keep more of an open hand while still keeping my 1:1 client days planned and guarded.

Step 5: Create a 1-Year Plan

Based on the 3-year picture, ask yourself:

At the end of 2026, what will next year’s numbers look like? (annual revenue, profit)

What will my measurables be?

Example: To hit my goals, I need to retain X 1:1 clients each month and enroll X total group coaching clients over the year.

Part 2: The Financial Side

Now we shift into the financial review and planning piece – reviewing the year that just happened and planning for the next year that is about to happen. Keep in mind those 3-year goals you set for yourself when you did that SWOT analysis.

I have a massive Google Sheet that I’ve created for my business financials. While I won’t be going in-depth on the ins-and-outs of that spreadsheet today, I will explain how I use it. (I plan to dedicate an entire podcast episode to how I track and plan my business financials – stay tuned.)

Step 1: Review the Past Year

What did I do in revenue for each month?

What were my highest months?

What were my lowest months?

Step 2: Duplicate That Tab

Duplicate that same tab in my Google Sheet but rename it for the next year. So for this year, I would duplicate my 2025 tab and rename it 2026.

Step 3: Project Based on Previous Performance

Look at my highest and lowest income months from the previous year (in this case, 2025) and project out what I think I can do in 2026 based on what I did in 2025.

Steps 3 and 4 feed off of one another.

Step 4: Plan When to Launch Certain Offers

For me, my monthly app membership is ongoing, and with it being a low-ticket offer at $19.99/month, it’s rarely going to generate massive swings in my revenue.

I mostly see spikes in revenue when I host group macro coaching, so I generally try to host groups around the same time of year each year.

I look at my calendar for the entire year and plan when to:

-Host my 3-4 GMC cohorts (EXACT dates)

-Start talking about the group on Instagram stories and in emails

-Open and close registration for the group

-Run the 4 weeks when the group coaching is actually live and active

After I plan when to host those groups, I also project how many people I think will join based on what I did the previous year.

Step 5: Project Financials Based on Planned Launches

My group coaching is $175, and if I project that 30 people will join, I multiply 175 x 30 people and factor that number into my projections.

There are times where I shift things around, but when I do that, I also have to re-project things. For instance, if last year I hosted GMC in September but this year I’m hosting it in October, I should take that into account when planning my financials.

For everything – revenue, group coaching, and app subscribers – I set a projection goal for myself, a goal I feel certain I can hit. I also set a “stretch” goal for myself, a goal that feels uncomfortable on paper but that challenges and stretches me.

Take What You Need & Leave the Rest

Reflection is so good for both your mind and your soul. It also just allows you to feel so motivated, organized, and at peace as you start a new year.

Whether you’re trying to create a better routine at home or working full-time while dreaming of starting something new, I encourage you to brain dump. Write it all down – even the things you’re scared to say out loud because they are big goals.

“You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to get it going.”

Before the year ends, carve out an hour, an afternoon, or a full day to sit with your thoughts about this year and the next. Look back at what worked. Note what didn’t. Dream a little. Plan a little. Create a clear picture of what you want the next year (and the years after) to look like.