As you review 2025 and look forward to 2026, one thing to review is to look at what you enjoyed doing in 2025. What was that “thing” whether work related, hobby related, family related, that gave you joy. What made you happy, gave you peace, and did not feel like work? Wouldn’t it be great to identify that “thing” that gave you passion that did not feel like a burden or chore? Identify it and do more of it in 2026. You mind, body and spirit will feel it and will thank you. If it was that great vacation, plan another. If it was going antiquing, plan another trip. If it was exercising, eating right and getting your health back, keep working on it. How about making that dish or dessert at home that you always wanted to make, and you did it. Do more of it. Take some time to enjoy the good things in life that de-stress you. Work and life’s pressure, most of the time, will be there. Every second the clock ticks, is time you can’t get back. Keep that in mind.

Contract sales or sales outsourcing can work for small businesses. There are some factors that determine if it will work for you business. In the short term, if you need some quick hits or fast sales over a few months, contract sales teams can prove to be beneficial. Contract and outsourced sales reps are typically ready on day one, when you need them. They have experienced sales reps, CRM, list, sales tech and prospecting tools to hit the ground running. Additionally, if what you’re selling is rather easy to explain and the price point is reasonable, sales can close fast. This leads to booking revenue, but also getting market data. This data allows you to modify your offering, pricing and sales approaches. If what you are selling is more complex and at a higher price point than the current market dictates, it can take longer to get those first few sales.