5 Things to Look at Before You Set Goals for 2026

It’s that time of year again - where everyone’s talking about next year’s goals. But before you start mapping out new revenue targets, hiring plans, or big growth ideas, hit pause.

Because the best way to plan for the future?

Start by actually understanding what happened this year.

Here are 5 things every business owner should review before setting targets for 2026.

1: Look at Your Revenue - Month by Month

Pull up your 2025 Profit & Loss report (also called your income statement) and zoom out so you can see the totals by month.

How did revenue shake out this year? Were there clear slow months? Busy seasons?
Any months where you were surprised by how high or low things came in?

If your sales ebb and flow, your planning should reflect that. Don’t just divide your annual revenue target by 12 and call it a day. Use real patterns to set smarter monthly goals for 2026. 

2: Do You Know Where Your Leads Are Coming From?

Sales don’t happen in a vacuum. They usually start with a lead.

Ask yourself:

• Do you have a way to track where your leads are coming from?

• Do you know how many leads you get each month?

• Are you converting them into paying customers?

If not, 2026 is the year to fix that. Because once you know your lead sources and conversion rates, you can actually reverse-engineer your revenue goals - and make them more realistic.

3: Dig Into Your Costs - Starting With COGS

Look at your Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) - things like materials, labor, or production costs tied directly to what you sell.

Did anything spike this year? (Thanks, tariffs!)
Have your prices kept up with your costs?

If not, you might be eating into your own profit without realizing it.
Make 2026 the year to revisit your pricing - or shop around for better vendor terms.

4: Review Your Operating Expenses - Yes, All of Them

When’s the last time you actually looked through your full list of monthly expenses?

Go line by line. Rent, insurance, software, subscriptions, that random thing you signed up for in 2022 and forgot about…

Trimming even a few hundred dollars a month can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Don’t set next year’s targets until you know where your money went this year.

5: Gut Check: Are You Paying Yourself What You Want to Be?

This isn’t always on the P&L - but it matters.
Did you pay yourself consistently this year?
Was it what you wanted to pay yourself - or just whatever was left over?

As you set goals for 2026, make sure your income as the business owner is part of the plan, not just an afterthought.

Bottom Line?

You don’t need to spend hours buried in spreadsheets - but you do need to know your numbers if you want 2026 to be better than 2025.

Bookmark this, pour a coffee (or a glass of wine), and give yourself an hour to look under the hood.

Future You will thank you.

Schedule A Discovery Call Today

If you want help doing this kind of year-end review - or setting targets for next year that actually match your business goals – book a free discovery call. We’d love to help set you up for success in the new year!