Trace Blackmore opens 2026 with a practical reset: how to plan with urgency, sharpen the fundamentals that make troubleshooting easier, and use the tools around this podcast to keep your development moving all year.

The 12-Week Year: urgency you can use

Annual goals often feel "far away" until December forces focus. The 12-week year flips that dynamic by treating each quarter like a year—creating urgency sooner and giving you four chances to reset and improve. Trace walks through the structure: start with a vision (he uses a three-year example), then choose 3–5 tactical goals for the next 12 weeks, so you don't overload and quit. He also ties it to a water treatment reality: quarterly customer touchpoints are simply more productive than an annual "re-introduce everything" meeting.

Trace points listeners to planning support and easy on-ramps:

• the book link: ScalingUpH2O.com/12weekyear
• the planning guide PDF: ScalingUpH2O.com/12weekyearplan
• and an Audible option (free month + free book mentioned in the transcript).

Mailbag: how the show is made—and what's changing

A listener asks how an episode goes from spark to air. Trace lays out the workflow: idea sourcing, research and pre-production, guest outreach, scheduling, outline creation, recording discipline, post-production with audio engineer Sean, then show notes, graphics, social posts, scheduling, and promotion. He also shares a key quality upgrade: guests now receive equipment prerequisites (including budget-friendly mic options) because the Scaling Up Nation can hear the difference.

On what's new for 2026, Trace shares a major personal commitment: he's pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration, including research, data collection, and defending a thesis—with an intent to involve listeners through future surveys.

Skills to build in 2026: foundation, communication, and technology

Trace's recommendations land in three buckets:

1. Strengthen fundamentals (chemistry, products, and the "why" behind test kits),
2. improve communication and relationship-building (including temperament-based communication concepts he references), and
3. Learn what's available in data and technology so you can show up to accounts better prepared—and avoid time-wasting return trips.

He closes with a direct action: browse the ScalingUpH2O.com events section and pick learning opportunities you can attend (especially those nearby), then build a 12-week plan that helps you justify bigger conferences by clearly stating what value you'll bring back.

Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!

Timestamps

02:38 - Welcome to 2026 and what this "first show of the year" is designed to do (reset, tools, and a mailbag).

07:30 – 12 Week Year Planning format

21:09 – Dive Into The Scaling UP! H2O Mailbag

30:54 – What Is New for 2026 for Trace Blackmore

38:05 – Words of Water with James

40:15 – Trace's Favorite Food

46:42 – What Are The Top 2 to 3 skills Water Treaters Should Focus On

Quotes

"Now the reason I really like the 12-week year is because it puts the urgency of not having a full year of time, only having a smaller amount of time to work for you."

"It also gives you 4 chances a year to reset and improve, not just one."

"Everybody in water treatment should focus on developing skills around a solid foundation."

"That leads me to my third skill that I want to talk to you about, and that's learning what's available to you when it comes to data and technology."

Connect with Scaling UP! H2O

Submit a show idea: Submit a Show Idea

LinkedIn: in/traceblackmore/

YouTube: @ScalingUpH2O

Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned

AWT (Association of Water Technologies)

Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses

Submit a Show Idea

The Rising Tide Mastermind

Audible

Book - The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months

12 Week Year Plan

Episode 100 The 100th One

Episode 117 The One With Temperament Expert, Kathleen Edelman

Episode 179 Another One that Teaches Us to Communicate Better with Others

AWT – The Analyst - Library

I Said This, You Heard That 2nd Edition by Kathleen Edelman

HACH Water Analysis Handbook

Words of Water with James McDonald

Definition: Today's definition is the ratio of the dissolved solids in a system's circulating water to the dissolved solids in the makeup water. Can you guess the word or phrase?

2026 Events for Water Professionals

Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.