If Your Foundation Is Weak… Growth Will Expose It!

Annual planning matters because it forces you to slow down and actually look at your business—what worked, what didn’t, and where you’re headed next. The real challenge isn’t deciding if you should grow. It’s figuring out how to protect what’s already working while still making room for what’s next.

Start With the Core

If you’ve followed my work for any amount of time, you know I’m big on the outdoors. Hiking taught me a lot about preparation. You don’t just chase the summit—you protect your core first. Layers, water, fuel. Get those wrong and the whole trip falls apart.

Business works the same way. Your core business is what keeps you steady. It’s the services you deliver well, the clients you enjoy working with, and the revenue that keeps the lights on. When your core is strong, you’re doing work you’re good at, for people who value it—and that’s where real momentum comes from.

Then Look at Growth

Once your core is solid, then you can explore growth. Growth isn’t about chasing every new idea. It’s about choosing opportunities that build on what already works, not distract from it. Done right, growth adds energy instead of stress.

The Balance

Annual planning is really about balance. Too much focus on maintenance and things stall. Too much focus on growth and things break. The goal is to hold both at the same time:

• Be clear about what must stay strong

• Be intentional about what you experiment with

• Check in often and adjust as you go

Final Thought

Good planning isn’t choosing between stability and growth—it’s blending them into one clear direction. Protect the core. Explore what’s next. Repeat.

And one more thing—don’t try to sound like everyone else. There are over a billion websites out there. What separates yours is your story. If you read this back and don’t hear your own voice, keep going.

Be clear. Be confident. Don’t overthink it. Make it feel right for right now. The rest will take care of itself.