Hey there, my friend, welcome to episode 329 of the Small Business Made Simple Podcast.

Thanks for leading me your ears right now – I know you have lots of other things you could be doing or listening to – so I appreciate you.

I hope you have enjoyed the Summer Series during December of this podcast – admittedly my numbers are down for listenership which has taught me a few things:

1. People like original and new content! No surprise there …, and
2. Marketing works! Again no surprise there! You see I’ve dropped the ball with marketing the podcast during December – which has had a direct impact on listener numbers.

But that’s okay because December was crap – so many things happened in life (2 family members in hospital) and in business. And honestly I was sooo tired. I reckon my business wheels started to fall off about mid November if I’m honest. I could feel the limp to the end.

But I was so tired and so exhausted that I also got sick – my body telling me to stop – but I stopped my daily walks and didn’t get the gym. Those things are so important to my weekly routine and stopping them was a big mistake for my energy levels and my ability to carry on!

So many lessons for me ….

I’ve been a stalker online lately – not really posting much myself but I’ve seen a few posts in different Facebook groups asking the question – what was your biggest achievement of 2024 – and I don’t know if it’s because one person said it and then everyone else was “hell yeah!” but the biggest response to that question has been something along the lines of “I survived it”.

Maybe that’s how you feel too?

That your biggest achievement in the last 12 months has simply been showing the frigg up every day – getting through survival mode.

This might seem like a “in the wind” response to the question, but this answer, and versions of it, is shaping the way I do business this year.

It’s making me rethink my sales and marketing, my products and how I market them, my offerings, my social media and so much more.

If so many people are coming at 2025 exhausted from survival mode for the past 12 months, what are they looking for in 2025?

I think you should be thinking about this too. Running this emotion, these thoughts over your business, thinking about your ideal client – is this them? It’s certainly mine.

If we said 2024 was a DOOZY of a year – then the opposite to that is PHENOMENAL right? Are people looking to have a phenomenal year in 2025?

Another signal that I use for my business is Word of the Year – I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about it – but not mine – other people’s! What words are they choosing? What words are my ideal clients choosing?

Words like

• Growth
• Restore
• Thrive
• Expansion
• Focus
• Deliberate, and so many more ….

They might seem common words but heading into 2024 (so at the end of 2023) people’s words were more like

• Refocus
• Calm
• Travel
• Brave
• Refresh
• Play
• Fun

It’s almost like we knew that the year was going to be a doozy and almost decided to Que Sera, Sera – whatever will be will be!

Anyway, this episode was really just supposed to be a HAPPY NEW YEAR episode, but I felt like I needed to share with you what I’ve been seeing on socials and what I have been overthinking because of what I’m seeing!

I hope you are having some self time – and are enjoying it – no matter what you are doing.

I’ve been resting, helping out a friend by working in her retail store and for the past two days scheduling the absolute crap out of my social media. I officially have some posts scheduled to December 2025. Hope my program doesn’t crash!!

Don’t forget that I have a 2025 “What I need to Know About Marketing” FREE webinar coming up on 20^th January. Want to come along? Click here to register: https://bit.ly/marketing2025Jenn – register even if you can’t come along as I will record and send you the recording and workbook.

Thanks for tuning in.

If you’re not already a member, come join my Facebook Group – Like Minded Business Owners. And if you are a member, ask a question, do a post, use it as your community too!

I’ll be back next Thursday with some more marketing know-how in episode 330. 

If you’re enjoying this podcast, don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode and share this with a friend.  And maybe leave me a rating and a review wherever you listen in.  Those things are like gold for podcasters like me!  PS – you can leave more than one rating and review – just saying!

If we aren’t hanging out on social media then let’s get social on social – you’ll find me on Instagram, Facebook, and my fav LinkedIn.

But whatever you do,

…….. remember small business peep, as my opening song says, there’s no point in dreaming small!