Every year around this time, I watch designers open fresh planners and declare, “Next year, I just want to make more money.”

But if you’ve been in business long enough, you already know this: vague goals lead to vague results. And 2026 deserves better.

In this week’s episode of Success by Design, I walk you through how to build your 2026 plan like a CEO — not a designer who is guessing, hoping, or reacting to whatever shows up on their calendar. This is grounded, strategic planning rooted in your actual numbers, your actual capacity, and the kind of life you actually want to be living next year.

Because the last thing I want is for you to hustle your way into another year wondering why it still feels hard. You deserve a business that works for you, not the other way around.

Here’s a preview of what I dig into in the episode:

Why CEOs make decisions from data, not feelings
Intuition is powerful, but it works best when it’s supported by clear, honest information.

How to use your 2025 results to accurately predict up to 70% of your 2026 revenue
Yes, really. And if you can’t, that’s a sign your business model needs adjustment.

The truth about time and capacity
Your time plus your team’s time equals your actual capacity — not the version you wish you had. Most designers dramatically underestimate this.

The four categories of data that shape a real growth plan
Revenue, profit reality, time tracking, capacity, and demand. Once you understand these, you stop guessing and start leading.

How to design your business around your life
Because if 2026 includes kids, caregiving, moving, expanding, healing, or simply wanting more ease, your business needs to reflect that. That is what real CEO leadership looks like.

I also break down the biggest traps designers fall into: random revenue goals, planning based on feelings instead of facts, and forgetting to build in margin for the realities of life.

If you want 2026 to feel different, you cannot plan it the same way.

This episode is a wake-up call, a roadmap, and honestly, a permission slip to run your business with clarity instead of chaos.

And if you’re ready to go deeper, I’ve created a 2026 Business Blueprint Worksheet that walks you through the exact numbers, decisions, and levers you need to build a plan that actually works for your life and your goals.

Listen to “Turn Your 2026 Vision Into a Design Business That Actually Works.”
This might be the most important episode you listen to all year.

And when you’re done, send me a message and tell me:
What is the one thing your life is asking for in 2026? More time? More support? More structure? More space?
I genuinely want to know.

Let’s build your next year like the CEO you’re becoming.