Most business owners hope next year will be better.

Hope is not a strategy.

If you want 2026 to be more profitable, less stressful, and more scalable than 2025, the work doesn't start in January—it starts right now.

In this episode of SoTellUs Time, we break down a practical, no-fluff profit planning framework every business owner should follow before the year ends. This is not theory. This is what real operators do to increase margins, improve team efficiency, and stop running on exhaustion.

🎙 Hosted by Trevor Howard from SoTellUs 👉 Subscribe for weekly business growth strategies: https://www.youtube.com/@sotellus 🌐 Learn more about SoTellUs: https://youtube.com/sotellus

⏱️ What You'll Learn in This Episode

00:00 – Why 2026 Won't Magically Be Better Most owners roll into a new year with the same problems, just bigger. We explain why intentional planning—not motivation—is the difference between growth and burnout.

02:00 – How to Find Hidden Profit in Your 2025 Numbers You don't always need more customers—you often need fewer leaks. Learn how to:

• Analyze your P&L the right way

• Cut expenses that don't produce ROI

• Reallocate money to what actually grows profit

05:00 – Employee Productivity vs "Looking Busy" Payroll is usually your biggest expense. We break down:

• How to spot productivity leaks

• Why clarity beats micromanagement

• How small efficiency gains dramatically increase profit

08:00 – Marketing That Actually Works (and What to Stop Doing) If marketing feels random, it's costing you money. You'll learn:

• Which channels truly drive high-quality leads

• Why consistency beats complexity

• How reviews, referrals, and fast follow-up win in 2026

11:00 – Getting Out of the Day-to-Day and Into the CEO Seat Your business will never outgrow your leadership. We talk about:

• What owners should stop doing

• What should only be done by the CEO

• How to carve out real strategic thinking time

14:00 – The Only KPIs That Actually Matter What gets measured gets improved. We share:

• The 5–7 numbers every owner should track

• How to use metrics to make decisions—not emotional guesses

• Why tracking too much data hurts growth

🚀 Why This Episode Matters

If you:

• Feel like you worked hard in 2025 but didn't get ahead

• Want more profit without more chaos

• Are tired of being stuck in the business

• Want 2026 to feel intentional, calm, and controlled

This episode gives you a clear starting point.

2026 doesn't get better by accident. It gets better by design.

✅ Your Action Step

Don't try to fix everything. Pick ONE area this week:

• Numbers

• Team productivity

• Marketing

• Time management

• KPIs

Small changes now create massive results next year.

🔔 Subscribe & Stay Ahead

If you're a business owner who wants:

• More profit

• Better systems

• Stronger teams

• Smarter marketing

Subscribe to SoTellUs Time and join thousands of owners building businesses that actually work for their lives.

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@sotellus

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