2025 Business Review: The Business Lessons I’m Taking Into 202
So here we are – the final episode of the How I Do Content Podcast for 2025.
We started this year on Episode 182 and we’re closing the year on Episode 230, and honestly, 2025 has been… a year.
Before I turn off the mic for the 2025 season, I wanted to use this episode to do a proper 2025 business review. To reflect on the last 12 months, share my biggest lessons, what I’m most proud of, and give you a glimpse into my vision for 2026.
I’m a big believer that taking the time to reflect on your year helps you evolve and grow. I do this every single year because it helps me close one chapter and move into the next feeling clearer and more grounded.
And this 2025 business review mattered more than most.
Where I Was at the Start of 2025
Twelve months ago, when I recorded my 2024 year-in-review episode, I was in a very different place.
It was only a couple of months after losing my beautiful soul dog, Ned, and I was deep in grief. And honestly, I found myself in that same place again at the start of this year – if not worse.
Not long after Ned died, I made the decision to go ahead with a planned launch. At the time, I told myself it would give me something to focus on, something to get out of bed for each day.
Looking back now, as part of this 2025 business review, I can say it clearly: I made the wrong call.
When the launch wrapped and everyone else switched off for Christmas and New Year, I was left alone with my grief – and it completely knocked me on my ass.
Letting Myself Slow Down
January was hard. Getting out of bed was hard. Planning ahead or making decisions felt impossible.
So instead of forcing myself to push through like I had before, I let myself sit in it and take things one day at a time.
I knew my business would take a hit because I couldn’t show up and give my full self to every part of it – so I created a bare minimum list each day:
- One thing to serve and support my clients
- One thing related to marketing
That was it.
I had no big plans. I wasn’t actively seeking new clients. I just did my best to keep moving forward.
And as I predicted – my business did take a hit.
The Honest Reality of My 2025 Business Review
This year has included some of my lowest cash months in business. It’s also been my worst year revenue-wise in five years.
A lot of people wouldn’t admit that – but that’s not how I roll.
I’m sharing this because I’m in a very different headspace now than I was at the start of the year. I feel hopeful, excited, and genuinely proud of myself because I let myself go through it.
I prioritised myself, asked for help and made hard decisions.
And that’s not something every business owner is willing to do.
Lesson #1 From My 2025 Business Review: Don’t Believe Everything You See Online
One of the biggest lessons from this 2025 business review is not to believe everything you see on social media.
There are plenty of business owners who’ve had a really challenging year – and you would never know it.
You could look at my content this year and think I was killing it. And yet here I am telling you this has been my worst revenue year in five years.
What you see online is only a small part of the picture. Comparing yourself to that will mess with your confidence if you let it.
Instead of focusing externally, focus on what you are doing each day to move your business forward.
Lesson #2: The Seeds You Plant Matter
Another key lesson from this 2025 business review is that the seeds you plant today determine the harvest you reap tomorrow.
And the reverse is true too – if you’re not planting seeds now, you’ll be watching someone else’s garden bloom later.
I knew stepping back earlier in the year would impact future months. That’s why I kept showing up consistently – I just changed the strategy to suit where I was at.
My focus was growing my email list, creating new lead magnets, and nurturing that audience so that when I was ready to sell again, they were ready to buy.
And they were.
Lesson #3: Messaging Is the Most Important Thing in Your Business
If there’s one thing this 2025 business review reinforced, it’s that messaging matters more than ever.
Open Instagram and you’ll see it – there’s so much content that sounds the same, especially with the rise of AI-generated content.
The business owners who know how to create marketing that’s clear, compelling, and actually different are the ones who will dominate in 2026.
If I didn’t have my messaging foundations in place, 2025 would have been a whole lot harder than it already was.
What This 2025 Business Review Means for 2026
Going into 2026 with the same mindset and messaging isn’t going to cut it.
The buyer cycle has changed. The market has shifted. AI is everywhere. If you don’t evolve your messaging with your audience, it will feel harder than it needs to be.
The business owners who take the time to understand what their audience is navigating right now (what they’re tired of, what they’ve outgrown, and what they actually need) are the ones who will win in 2026.
Where Micro Messaging Fits Going Into 2026
As I look back through this 2025 business review, one thing is crystal clear – Micro Messaging has become the core of my work and the best way to work with me going into 2026.
The way I evolved, positioned, and sold Micro Messaging in the second half of this year is one of my proudest moments.
Since July, I’ve welcomed 26 (and counting) incredible humans into the program and worked closely with them on their messaging, marketing, offers, and launches.
If 2026 is the year you want to refine your messaging, stand out in a saturated market, and create marketing that actually converts, Micro Messaging is where we do that work.
Right now, I’m calling in witches + wizards to join the January 2026 intake.
When you sign up before the end of the year, you lock in current pricing (which is increasing in January) and receive a bonus 1:1 Spellcraft Session in January to map out your Q1 content, offers, or launch strategy together.
You can find all the details and secure your spot here
Closing Out My 2025 Business Review
As I wrap up this 2025 business review, I want to invite you to do the same.
Take time to reflect on your year.
Acknowledge what you’ve learned.
Celebrate what you survived.
No matter how small it feels, celebrate the hell out of yourself.
Because you deserve it.
