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616: (Solo) 5 Honest Business Lessons I’m Taking Into 2026
2025 has been one of the most eye-opening years of my founder journey — personally, professionally, and strategically. Instead of sharing a highlight reel, I want to share the real lessons that moved the needle for me. Some changed how I think about business. Others changed how I think about myself.
In this episode, I break down the five biggest lessons I learned this year, and how they’re shaping everything I’m doing heading into 2026. These aren’t theories. They’re lived experiences — conversations with billion-dollar founders, tough decisions inside Foundr, personal growth work, and some hard realities about what actually drives results.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
• “If you don’t have repeat customers, you don’t have a business.” Why retention is the real engine of profit — and how John Paul DeJoria reframed the entire way I think about growth
• Why AI and automation are now a non-negotiable competitive advantage, and how we used them internally this year to compress months of work into weeks
• The mindset shift that got me unstuck: When you’re stuck, ask what you’re avoiding — not what you should do
• How to negotiate from power, not panic — and why being willing to walk away changes everything
• The truth about growth: nothing great works instantly, and why patience, pressure, and data-backed iteration are the real superpowers going into 2026
If you want a clearer lens to evaluate your own business next year — what to double down on, what to avoid, and what to rethink — this episode will give you the frameworks and perspective to build with intention instead of chaos.
This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to https://your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt
Website → https://www.foundr.com
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/foundr/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/foundr
Twitter → https://www.twitter.com/foundr
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/
Podcast → https://www.foundr.com/podcast
View all episodes
By Foundr Media
4.9
564564 ratings
2025 has been one of the most eye-opening years of my founder journey — personally, professionally, and strategically. Instead of sharing a highlight reel, I want to share the real lessons that moved the needle for me. Some changed how I think about business. Others changed how I think about myself.
In this episode, I break down the five biggest lessons I learned this year, and how they’re shaping everything I’m doing heading into 2026. These aren’t theories. They’re lived experiences — conversations with billion-dollar founders, tough decisions inside Foundr, personal growth work, and some hard realities about what actually drives results.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
• “If you don’t have repeat customers, you don’t have a business.” Why retention is the real engine of profit — and how John Paul DeJoria reframed the entire way I think about growth
• Why AI and automation are now a non-negotiable competitive advantage, and how we used them internally this year to compress months of work into weeks
• The mindset shift that got me unstuck: When you’re stuck, ask what you’re avoiding — not what you should do
• How to negotiate from power, not panic — and why being willing to walk away changes everything
• The truth about growth: nothing great works instantly, and why patience, pressure, and data-backed iteration are the real superpowers going into 2026
If you want a clearer lens to evaluate your own business next year — what to double down on, what to avoid, and what to rethink — this episode will give you the frameworks and perspective to build with intention instead of chaos.
This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at [email protected] — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.
SAVE 50% ON OMNISEND FOR 3 MONTHS
Get 50% off your first 3 months of email and SMS marketing with Omnisend with the code FOUNDR50. Just head to https://your.omnisend.com/foundr to get started.
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU SCALE YOUR BUSINESS FASTER
Learn directly from 7, 8 & 9-figure founders inside Foundr+
Start your $1 trial → https://www.foundr.com/startdollartrial
PREFER A CUSTOM ROADMAP AND 1-ON-1 COACHING?
→ Starting from scratch? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-start-application
→ Already have a store? Apply here → https://foundr.com/pages/coaching-growth-application
CONNECT WITH NATHAN CHAN
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/nathanchan
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhchan/
FOLLOW FOUNDR FOR MORE BUSINESS GROWTH STRATEGIES
YouTube → https://bit.ly/2uyvzdt
Website → https://www.foundr.com
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/foundr/
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/foundr
Twitter → https://www.twitter.com/foundr
LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/foundr/
Podcast → https://www.foundr.com/podcast
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