Written by Rebekka Cairns, Marketing Manager McEwan Wallace
As 2025 draws to a close, now is often a natural moment to pause and take stock of how the year has played out for your business.
In some areas, things may have exceeded expectations. Perhaps a new revenue stream gained momentum more quickly than anticipated, a customer relationship delivered stronger returns than you expected. In other areas, the year may have been more challenging — rising costs, recruitment pressures or changing customer expectations will have felt all too familiar.
The wider economy has done little to provide certainty. While inflation has eased somewhat, higher wage costs and ongoing skills shortages continue to shape day-to-day decisions for many business owners.
You may also find yourself reflecting on a bigger question: how well has the business supported your wider ambitions?
- Has it grown in the way you intended?
- Has it given you the flexibility, resilience or headroom to pursue new opportunities?
These reflections often highlight where the business has worked hard for you — and where it may have held you back.
With that in mind, the festive break can be a helpful time to think about what really matters for 2026.
Building on the year just gone
Looking back over the past twelve months, are there any clear patterns?
- Which products or services genuinely drove growth?
- Which customers or client relationships delivered the most value?
- Where did the business feel stretched?
These are often the observations that point most clearly to where time, money and focus are best spent in the year ahead.
Maintaining resilience
Economic uncertainty and operational pressures are unlikely to disappear in 2026. That makes resilience more important than ever.
Where has your business shown strength in responding to rising costs, retaining customers, or moving quickly when opportunities arose? These are foundations worth building on — and, in many cases, refining further.
Shaping your goals for 2026
For some businesses, 2026 may be about growth: reaching new markets, expanding the team, or investing in technology to improve efficiency. For other it may be time to prepare the business for sale or seek
For others, the focus may be on consolidation — strengthening what worked well in 2025, streamlining operations, and taking a more focused, sustainable approach.
And reviewing the year may prompt broader questions about the longer-term future of the business — from succession and exit planning to exploring acquisitions or merger opportunities.
There's no single right answer. What matters is that your plans reflect both the reality of your business and your personal ambitions as an owner.
However you're feeling at this point in the year, we hope you're able to enjoy some well-earned time off. 2025 has been demanding for many, and any chance to recharge is thoroughly deserved.
A conversation worth having
As you look ahead to 2026, it can be helpful to step back and take a clear look at where the business is heading. That might involve reviewing your plans, working through key decisions, or getting a clearer view of your options based on solid information.
Whether you want help shaping your marketing approach, or would value a practical discussion with our business advisers about the direction of travel, we're always happy to talk things through and see where we can help.
We hope you're able to enjoy some well-earned time off, and we look forward to supporting you in 2026!