After over two months away, I'm back — but not in the way you might expect. In this episode, I've got a big update on my business, my membership, and the future of this podcast. If you've ever felt the spark go out and wondered how to find it again, this one's for you.

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→ How I'm Planning My Best Year Yet (2026 Planning Guide) | 321

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Welcome to one of my favorite episodes of the year! In this planning workshop-style episode, I walk you through the exact system I’m using to create my best year yet. We’re not talking about vague resolutions or goals that fizzle out—we’re creating a clear, doable plan for 2026 that’s built to last.

This step-by-step framework will help you dream big, pick your North Star goal, break it into quarterly focuses, and set up the systems that keep you accountable and energized all year long. Whether you’re planning a big launch, growing your revenue, or carving out more balance in your life, this process will help you get there—with ease and intention.

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→ The Ultimate Year in Review: Your Step-by-Step Guide

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→ Learn more about Xero (and get 90% off the next 6 months at the time of this episode's release!)
→ Join Making Good Happen

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In this episode, I’m guiding you through one of my favorite year-end traditions: a deep and meaningful year in review. Whether 2025 was a tough one (like it was for me!) or full of highs, taking the time to pause and reflect can bring clarity, closure, and intention for the year ahead.

I walk you through a four-part framework that helps you examine the growth, feelings, impact, and future vision of your business—and life. This isn’t just another task on your to-do list. It’s a gift to yourself and your business.

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→ How I'm Planning My Best Year Yet (2026 Planning Guide)

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→ Join Making Good Happen

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Avoiding your numbers? This episode is your gentle but honest financial reset. Lauren Tilden sits down with Leah McCool of Orca Accounting to break down bookkeeping basics, common mistakes, and how understanding your numbers can actually feel empowering—not scary. If you want a calmer, clearer, more sustainable business (without drowning in spreadsheets), this is a must-listen.

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→ It’s Time to Pay Yourself | Book Club | ‘Profit First’ by Mike Michalowicz | 109

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→ 319: The Full Show Notes Page

FROM LEAH
→  The Bookkeeping Starter Pack
→  Leah's website
→  Instagram

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You don’t need a better planner, a longer to-do list, or more discipline. You need one thing... and you might just be avoiding it.

In this final Making Good Book Club episode with Charelle Griffith, we break down The ONE Thing and talk honestly about why doing less is often the fastest path to real growth. We unpack the lies that keep small business owners busy-but-stuck, the mindset shift that changes everything, and the simple question that can instantly clarify what actually matters.

If you’re overwhelmed, juggling too much, or secretly wondering why all your effort isn’t paying off yet—press play. This conversation might be the reset you didn’t know you needed.

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→ Feeling Stuck? Try a "Tiny Experiment" | Book Club | 308

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→ Episode 318: The Full Show Notes

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Ready to stop winging it and make 2026 your most focused, calm, and successful year in business? Lauren Tilden sits down with annual-planning queen Charelle Griffith to walk you through her simple 5-step framework for building a plan that actually works (even if 2025 was a tough one). Plus: a big (kinda emotional?!) announcement at the top from someone you know and love—don’t miss this one.

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→ It’s Time to Pay Yourself | Book Club | ‘Profit First’ by Mike Michalowicz | 109

SHOW NOTES
→ 317: The Full Show Notes Page

FROM CHARELLE
→  Annual Planning Checklist
→  Annual Reflection Questions
→  1:1 Annual Planning Strategy Day
→  Charelle's website
→  Instagram
→  LinkedIn
→  TikTok

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It's time to stop the overconsumption of information, and start DOING.

In this Book Club episode, we’re talking about Lean Learning by Pat Flynn. This book is all about how to learn less, do more, and actually make progress in your business. If you tend to overconsume and underact, this one’s for you. We dive into tools, concepts, and strategies for getting unstuck and taking action—even if it’s imperfect.

LISTEN TO NEXT

→ Feeling Stuck? Try a "Tiny Experiment" | Book Club | 308

SHOW NOTES

→ You're Learning Too Much (And It's Holding You Back) | Book Club | 'Lean Learning by Pat Flynn | 316

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I've been running my business since 2017, and I've made some serious mistakes along the way. Some cost me money. Some cost me time. And one nearly cost me my entire business.

Today I'm taking off the rose-colored glasses and sharing 5 mistakes I wish I could go back and warn past-Lauren about – from chasing quick fixes that never materialized, to ignoring my finances until the debt piled up, to saying yes to so many things that I burned out completely.

If you've ever felt like you're spinning your wheels, working hard but not gaining traction, or wondering why that strategy that worked for someone else isn't working for you – this episode might just save you years of trial and error.

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→ What I Did to Break Through Burnout

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The morning person who couldn't get out of bed. The podcast host who dreaded recording. The marketing lover who felt... nothing. After months of denying my burnout, I finally faced it – and what happened next changed everything. In this vulnerable episode, I'm sharing the exact steps that pulled me through, including an alarm clock hack that forced her to move, the #1 tool that helped me break through, and the hard permission I had to give myself to scale back. If you're feeling stuck, blank, or like you're just going through the motions, this one's for you.

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→ Why I'm in a Funk (and How I'm Climbing Out of It)

SHOW NOTES
→ Learn more about Xero (and get 90% off the next 6 months at the time of this episode's release!)
→ Get mental health support: NAMI (has a helpline and resource directory)
→ Psychology Today therapist finder
→ The alarm clock app: Alarmy
→ Making Good Happen

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This episode might completely change how you think about growing your business. I just spent two days surrounded by 2,400 small business owners at what's possibly the largest gathering of entrepreneurs in the world, and I walked away with pages and pages of notes. Here's what you need to know.

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→ 3 Top Small Business Owners on Marketing, Growth, and Making an Impact

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→ I Spent 2 Days With 2,400 Small Business Owners. Here’s what I learned.

→ Learn more and apply for the 10,000 Small Businesses Program

WHEN YOU'RE READY

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CONNECT

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