The Main Takeaway Of This Episode: We discuss the five key ingredients that will help you plan for your best year in business yet. Each ingredient is a building block for success, and when combined, they create a solid foundation for scaling your business and enriching your life.
This time of the year, many of us have business growth on the brain.
But before we dive headfirst into goal-setting and planning for the year ahead, let’s hit pause for a second. 
Because growth doesn’t just happen.
Rather, it’s something we create with intention and action. It starts with clarity about where you’ve been and where you’re going, and it flourishes when you align your actions with your values and your goals.
Skip setting the stage for business growth and you risk setting goals that don’t stick or don’t serve you. Before you know it, your goals end up like most of our New Year’s resolutions—dead and forgotten by the end of Jan. 
Which is exactly why today we’re going to set the stage for intentional growth.
By the end of this episode, you’ll have actionable steps to move into 2025 with clarity, focus, and momentum, ready to kick butt in your business.
The Five Key Ingredients For Business Growth
In this episode, we talk about the five key ingredients for business growth you will need to set you up for your biggest year yet. Each one of these ingredients is a building block for success, and when combined, they create a solid foundation for scaling your business and enriching your life.
1. Reflect On The Year That’s Gone
Before we do anything else, we need to take a moment to review the past year.
- What worked?
- What didn’t?
- What lessons did you learn?
Reflection helps you grow from experience rather than repeat mistakes.
Use my free Business Review & Reset Workbook to guide you: sandrajulian.co/review.
2. Align Your Plan For Your Best Year In Business With Your True Desires
Growth is only meaningful when it aligns with your values and passions. Ask yourself:
- What truly excites me?
- What impact do I want to create?
When your goals resonate with your heart, progress feels natural.
3. Set Goals, Not Resolutions
Resolutions often fade because they lack clarity and anchoring. To avoid this culprit, I use the SMARTER framework (I talk about this in more depth in this episode). I make sure my goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Actionable
- Risky
- Time-bound
- Exciting
- Relevant
For example, instead of saying, “I want to grow my business,” try, “I’ll onboard three new clients each quarter by refining my referral strategy.”
Limit yourself to 3-5 goals that challenge and inspire you.
Need help? My Clarity and Focus Workshop is here to guide you: sandrajulian.co/clarity-focus. This workshop helps you create your annual plan based on your goals, then shows you how to break it down into quarterly plans.
4. Create a Flexible Plan For Your Best Year In Business
Planning a framework for business growth doesn’t need to be perfect, and it doesn’t need to be set in stone. I think of my plans as a GPS. I set my destination, but I’m ready to adjust if roadblocks arise.
I break them down into quarterly focus areas, then drill down into 30, 60, and 90-day outcomes. Use tools like the 3x3 method to work on your business daily. To learn more about this, check out the workshop I mentioned in Ingredient 3! 
5. Build Your Support Network
Growth thrives in community, so as the final (but by no means least important) of my building blocks for business growth, I say this: don’t try to go it alone. Whether it’s a mastermind group, a mentor, or 1:1 coaching, find the support that gels best with you.
If personalised mentorship is your thing (I find it’s what works best for me), check out my coaching options: sandrajulian.co/coaching. Depending on what you need, consider Pulse Check Coaching or Business Transformation Mentorship.
Your Challenge: Choose one ingredient and take action on it now to create a plan for your best year in business yet.
- Maybe it’s downloading the Business Review & Reset Workbook so you can reflect on 2024 to set you up for 2025.
- Maybe it’s identifying one big goal for 2025 and using the SMARTER framework to clarify it.
- Or perhaps it’s reaching out to someone who helps you build a stronger support network.
Whatever you choose, take that first step.
Because, growth starts with ACTION.
If you found this episode helpful, I’d love it if you’d share it with a friend or post it on your social media. Don’t forget to tag me @sandrajulian.co so I can see how you’re planning for growth this year.
