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In this kickoff episode of our two-part series, I’m taking you behind the scenes of the work most designers avoid: facing the truth about what actually happened inside your business this year. Before we can build your 2026 vision (that’s coming in Part 2!), we have to strip away the assumptions, the emotions, the “I think I made money here… maybe?” and look at the real data. I’m talking revenue, margins, client load, time spent, energy, alignment—everything. I know this work is uncomfortable. But this is the difference between running a busy, high-cortisol design business… and building a profitable, strategic, scalable one.

In this episode, I dive into:
• Why most designers avoid looking at their numbers—and why that avoidance keeps you stuck
• The “numerical autopsy” that reveals what actually worked in your business
• How assumptions lead to hustle… but truth leads to strategy
• The difference between being busy and being profitable, and the real markers of each
• The revenue vs. margin conversation designers desperately need to hear
• How to evaluate your client load, your time, and your emotional bandwidth
• The 80/20 rule for figuring out which actions created the majority of your results
• How to identify your dream clients and reverse-engineer where they came from
• What your marketing actually delivered this year (and what was just noise)
• The one thing you already know isn’t working… and why you’re still doing it
• What it takes to build capacity instead of just pushing your capability until it snaps

This episode is your permission—and your push—to stop guessing about your business and start knowing. Because when you know the truth, you can actually make decisions that move you toward clarity, profitability, and a business that finally feels aligned with who you are now.

Part 2 is coming next, and that’s where we’ll take everything you uncover today and turn it into a vision and action plan for 2026 that isn’t emotional, frantic, or based on old patterns—but strategic, grounded, and sustainable.

If you’re ready to stop avoiding your numbers and start leading your business like a CEO, this one is for you.

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