8 Questions Every Coastal Business Owner Needs To Evaluate before January 1st

Stop drifting and start leading in 2026. Audit your business with these essential questions inspired by Alex Hormozi & Jenna Kutcher.

Printed Hues tea towels showcased for the holidays

The post-Christmas brain fog is real. Between the leftover ham and the social burnout, most business owners just drift into January 1st hoping for the best.

I recall a mentor saying that hope is not a business strategy. Reflection and modification is the epitome of growth. Try, audit, try again.

So I’ve pulled inspiration from two of my favorites. Knowing that both these celeb-entrepreneurs tend to lean in two different directions helps me to cherry-pick the info I feel aligned with most. Blending Jenna Kutcher’s heart-first perspective with Alex Hormozi’s no-nonsense efficiency will help you deeply audit your past year in business.

Onward to the Audit ➡️

The Team & Employees Audit (The Hormozi Lens)

1️⃣ Am I paying people to solve problems or just to complete tasks? If you’re still the one making every tiny decision, you don’t have a team; you have a very expensive set of assistants.

2️⃣ Who was my ‘multiplier’ this year? Identify the person (or tool!) that actually freed up your time to be the CEO. If you don’t have one, that’s your first Q1 hire.

The Finance Audit (The Numbers Don’t Lie)

3️⃣ What was my ‘Highest ROI’ activity? (And why am I only doing it 20% of the time?) Look at where the money actually came from. If it’s one specific item, double down.

4️⃣ Where is the ‘leaky bucket’? What subscriptions, habits, or projects drained your bank account with zero return? Cut the cord. Period.

The Creative Vision Audit (The Kutcher Lens)

5️⃣ Does my current brand reflect who I am now, or who I was two years ago? If you’ve outgrown your website or your imagery, your audience can feel the disconnect.

6️⃣ What felt like ‘enough’ this year? Not every category needs to “grow”. How are you feeling: mentally, physically, energetically – what else is going on in life that also needs your attention?

The Goal & Systems Audit (The 2026 Bridge)

7️⃣ What was the biggest ‘Chaos Creator’ of 2025? Identify the one recurring headache (onboarding, invoicing, social media scheduling).

8️⃣ What system could have solved that? If you spent 10 hours a week on a seemingly analog task, you didn’t have a “busy year”—you had a system failure.

It is also my personal goal:

This coming year, I don’t want to just arbitrarily set a 20% increase in random categories of my business. I want to cut the excess drag, remove the fluff of tasking without ROI, discover my money making activities, and network with people that bring me life and excitement. I also want to be spiritually and wellness-driven. What is this life about?

AUDIT INSPIRATION: PRINTED HUES HOLIDAY BRANDING SESSION

Need more? Let us help you get started at The Foundry Creative Co. and cheers to an efficient 2026 🎊

-BL.

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