END OF YEAR REFLECTION

There’s something about the end of a year that makes everything feel a little clearer. Not because the calendar demands it, quite the opposite usually, with the chaos of the holidays, but because reflection gives us permission to pause, to breathe. To acknowledge what we actually accomplished, not the polished version, but the real, sometimes messy one. I like to ask myself what this year taught me, because there’s a beauty in recognizing that even the tough moments carried clarity in their own way. None of it was wasted.

I’ve started to realize that growth doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from understanding what worked, what didn’t, and what matters enough to carry forward.

“Reflection is the key that turns experience into insight.” -James Clear

Even though I’m still in the middle of my own reflection process, I’m going to attempt to share some of what I’ve uncovered so far, in case it helps you do the same.

When I started my membership, I focused on helping people create passive income through digital or print on demand products. I found success there, and I knew there were so many artists and creatives trying to understand how to get their products seen in crowded marketplaces. But something shifted. A large majority of my members already had service-based businesses. They weren’t starting from scratch. They wanted to add passive products, affiliate income, or secondary revenue streams to support the business they already built. They came looking for extra income.

But once I started asking questions to understand their goals, I noticed a pattern.

They didn’t have a business plan.

They had the service; they just didn’t have a roadmap for growth.

Their branding didn’t match their vision.

Their websites weren’t set up for strong SEO.

And they weren’t sure which products made sense for their niche.

So I dove in: creating logos, supporting website design, identifying brand keywords, explaining SEO. Through that process, I learned where they needed more clarity, which led me to build new assessments and new workbooks for the whole membership.

But then I started second-guessing my entire strategy.

Were passive products still the right focus? Should I shift to website design and SEO? Is there a way to package everything I know so people can build strong, well-designed, SEO-friendly websites on their own? Did I focus on the wrong thing? Market to the wrong crowd? Did I build my business house out of straw? Did I need to tear everything down and start over?

I let those questions simmer for a bit, prayed on it, and in true Andrea fashion, the answer came to me in my sleep. (All of my best design ideas happen there.) I woke up and wrote an entire syllabus for a lesson library that included service-based businesses alongside product-based ones.

And here's the surprising part- when I created my original business plan module, I already included both. I knew what I was teaching would work for in-person businesses wanting to add passive income. The more I reviewed the outline, the more I noticed the overlap in what I've already built. The needs weren’t different at all, the order and emphasis just needed to shift, because:

Every business needs a clear plan.

They all need policies and proper setup.

They all need a strong brand identity.

They all need a website with good SEO and aligned messaging.

They all need to understand selling and profitability.

They all need email lists, lead magnets, and simple funnels.

And yes, passive products can support any business, even if they’re not the main focus.

Service-based businesses can create e-books, brochures, webinars, courses, templates... the list goes on. And there’s an equally long list of physical products they could explore too.

So instead of scrapping everything, I simply need to re-sequence the lessons. Not every business needs passive products, but they can be an incredibly useful tool in nearly all of them. So what actually needs to change is just my marketing message, not my entire membership.

I haven’t worked through all the details of how this shift will influence next year yet. But I wish more people talked about the need to reassess. Every business, even strong ones, hit these pivot points. Maybe an employee leaves. Maybe a project doesn’t land. Maybe a launch falls flat. Maybe a membership needs a tweak in messaging. All of these moments offer an opportunity, if you slow down long enough to step back and see the bigger picture.

I should note that I also don't see reflection as a self-critique. It’s about collecting the data your year gave you so you can design the next one with intention. Hopefully your reflection starts to reveal patterns, in your energy, your emotions, your workflow, and your creativity, too.

If you want to do your own reflection, here are some things to consider: 

1. Start with the details:

What did you actually create this year?

What did you sell?

Where did your time go?

What projects or habits did you stay consistent with?

Don't judge, just notice.

2. Identify what felt good and what didn’t. Sometimes the numbers look good, but the experience doesn’t. Sometimes the numbers are lower, but the work felt meaningful.

Ask yourself:

What energized me?

What drained me?

What surprised me?

Where did I see unexpected growth?

3. Then extract the lessons. Every year teaches you something, whether you planned for that lesson or not. Some examples:

“I do better with fewer projects at once.”

“My audience responds to personal stories.”

“SEO brought in more consistent traffic than social.”

“When I simplify, things move faster.”

I'd write them without overthinking, almost rapidly in brainstorm style.

4. Choose what you want to bring into this next year. This is where reflection becomes strategy. Pick a few themes you want more of: clarity, systems, creativity, rest, connection, or maybe structure and build your year around those.

5. Choose what you’re done with. This is an important step most people skip.

What are you releasing?

What are you not doing again?

What no longer fits?

This clears space for better things.

And now that you’ve looked back, you can decide where you’re going.

Pick three needle-movers, the things that will genuinely move your business forward.

That could be: improving SEO, refreshing your branding & website, building a new offer, simplifying your shop, growing your email list, creating a sustainable workflow....

Successful businesses don't magically appear overnight. They are built brick by brick, year by year, with a solid foundation.

Reflection gives you insight.

Clarity gives you direction.

Structure gives you momentum.

And you get to decide what the next chapter looks like, one calm, simple step at a time.

Warmest regards,