As we step into 2025, it’s natural to feel energized by the possibilities of a new year. For many creative small business owners, January feels like a time for a fresh start—but yet it is really a period of recovery from the busy holiday season.
Before jumping headfirst into new goals, we encourage you to pause and reflect. Sustainable growth begins with restoration. After months of hustle, it’s essential to carve out space for rest, reflection, and repair so that you can launch into the new year with intention and energy.
Below, you’ll find our abbreviated 2024 Reflection Guide and 2025 Launch Guide. For the full guides, subscribe to our monthly small business support newsletter, The Growth Guild. Our dispatches from December and January offer some in-depth thoughts on 2024 reflection and launching into 2025. Don’t miss it! Subscribe here.
Take a look back…and a look forward. Let’s start off this year with restorative thought, authentic intention, and some rest.

In our 2024 Reflection Guide, we are going to take you on a guided tour of your year.
- Write a few adjectives that described your year as a small business owner.
- What were some highs from running your small business this past year? What were some unexpected wins?
- Name some low points in your business from 2024.
- Did you come out of that low with new wisdom? A new idea or a new strategy?
- Name some personal obstacles that arose this year.
- Did you adapt your business to meet your personal needs during that time? Did you find support?
- Name a moment when you embraced change this year, or pivoted the business.
- How did you identify the need for change, and what steps did you take to implement the pivot? What did this experience teach you about your adaptability?
Has this got you thinking? Want more reflection prompts?
For the full list of 16 reflection questions, subscribe to our Growth Guild Newsletter.

In our 2025 Launch Guide, you’ll find pointed questions to help develop a clear vision for the upcoming year.
- What is the core mission of your business? Core values? How do you see it enduring or evolving over the next year?
- What steps can you take to ensure your business aligns with your core values this year?
- What do you want your brand to be known for by the end of 2025?
- What impact would you like to have on your customers, your community, and your employees this year?
- What problem does your business solve for customers? How can you solve it in a way that truly stands out this year?
- How do you want to grow as a creative entrepreneur in 2025? Are there skills you’d like to hone or learn? A mindset you’d like to cultivate?
- What challenges or setbacks from the past year offer valuable lessons going into 2025?
- How are you currently spending your time in a day? What changes can you make to ensure that your time aligns more closely with your highest priorities?
- What systems, tools, support structures, softwares, apps etc, do you need to implement or learn in order to work smarter, not harder, in 2025?
- What revenue or profit goals would you like to achieve by the end of 2025?
If you are on a roll and want more questions and writing prompts, subscribe to Growth Guild for the full guide of 22 questions!

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