Your Guide to Start 2026 With Your Best Foot Forward
It’s 2026, we’re back in action, and we want to help you start your year with your best foot forward.
Using the energy of a new month and a new year, let’s get you on track in all areas of your business: finances, strategy, people ops, and marketing!
So, here is how you can prep your business for a great year ahead:
Update your budget
Now that you know what you spent and made last year, it’s time to update your budget for this year!
Ask yourself:
Where do you want to spend more? Where do you want to spend less?
Is there software that can do the job of multiple software programs you are using?
Have you adjusted your budget to reflect your 2026 goals?
Where does paying off debt factor into your financial plan?
Do your savings need some attention, or is there a healthy amount for “unforeseen expenses”?
But there’s one more thing you need to consider when it comes to saving and budgeting:
Prep for taxes
Yes, it’s a new year, which means it’s go-time for that special, critical season of the year: tax season.
January is the perfect month to get your ducks in a row, especially when it comes to double-checking information for your return, and assessing if you have enough saved for what you’ll owe for your tax filing.
Schedule some time this month with your bookkeeper and accountant to understand what they need to ensure a smooth and easy tax filing season, as well as to ensure your financial priorities, including whether you will need an extension for filing.
Communicate your goals and plans to your team
You set your business’s 2026 goals, great, step one is done!
Now, you need to communicate those goals to your team, especially explaining how their contributions throughout the year will contribute to the success of the overarching company goals.
During the first couple of weeks, schedule time with your team to discuss the plan for the year, new ideas, and the updated budget, among other key topics.
As well, it is important to connect with each of your team members (or team leads, depending on your company structure) to identify the goals they will contribute to specifically, establishing a plan to achieve those goals, and a professional development plan that they feel inspired to work towards.
And don’t forget to give your team time to ask questions and share ideas, because they may see opportunities or approaches that will help you reach, or even surpass, your goals for the year!
Check in with your team and clients
Like we said above, you need to connect with your team members!
A beginning-of-the-year 1:1 meeting allows you to set the tone and expectations for everyone as a group, and then as an individual. This 1:1 meeting is all about setting, resetting and aligning each of your team members first and foremost, but also, understanding their ambitions and goals for themselves within the business, and outside of the business.
This check-in is a great way to ensure you address any questions, comments or concerns regarding the plan for 2026, on top of making sure that the plan has been communicated effectively (or if you need to recommunicate/clarify).
Refresh and map out your content calendar
New year, new trends, new algorithms!
Now is the time to take a look at your content, determine the topics and content types that perform the best, and prioritize creating similar content.
That doesn’t mean ONLY create that type of content, you do still need to experiment and give your content variety, and the year has just started, so things like trends and platform updates have yet to happen.
And don’t forget: routinely checking your content’s performance will allow you to play with topics, content types, copy, etc., in a way that best aligns with your audience promptly.
By doing the above, you’ll be able to get a head start on your finances, ensure your whole team is starting their year with the information they need, set intentional professional development plans for and with your team members, create content that connects and converts, and establish a plan for a thriving tax filing season!
Isn’t that how we all want to start the year?
If you’re looking for help setting up your 2026, explore our:
🌊 Monthly Bookkeeping Packages
🔥 3 Business Flow Formula Coaching Packages
📋 Signal Templates (Business resources, tools, guides and templates)