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In this New Year’s episode, Kendra Corman gets candid about why she’s heading into 2026 tired, excited… and fiercely committed to one word: no. After a 2025 defined by “forge” (building, growing, expanding), a family crisis and an overload of opportunities forced her to re-evaluate sustainability, boundaries, and what it really takes to preserve creative focus.

Kendra shares the behind-the-scenes story of her year—what went right, what went sideways, and why the systems and people you build now are what save you later.

What 2025 Taught Kendra About Growth and Overload

Kendra went into 2025 with momentum, capacity, and big goals—and hit them hard.

• A strong first quarter with focused, energized work time
• A goal of 25 speaking gigs that turned into 35+ events
• Movement on major business projects, including a second edition of her book
• A huge personal “yes”: becoming a full-time assistant professor at Rochester Christian University

The Moment Everything Changed

A serious fall and ICU stay for Kendra’s mom pulled her into months of caretaking and travel.

What stood out most wasn’t just the disruption—it was the proof that what she’d built actually held up:

• Her assistant (Carol) triaged inboxes, managed tasks, and kept clients supported
• Systems like Asana and strong relationships prevented a total business collapse
• The experience reinforced how vital support structures are—even for solopreneurs

Kendra realized: capacity isn’t just about time. It’s about what you’ve built to hold you when life happens.

When “Forge” Turned into “Fracture”

Even with major wins, Kendra stretched too far.

• Weeks with multiple speaking events, including one with four in a single week
• Drift from a 4–5 day workweek back to 7 days
• Feeling like she was working constantly but not moving forward
• Book revisions stalled, and recovery time evaporated

The truth she landed on: success without boundaries becomes burnout in disguise.

Why “No” Is Her Word of the Year (Again)

Kendra revisits a tool that once helped her escape burnout in 2022: saying no first.

So in 2026, “no” is back as the guardrail.

Her challenge to listeners:

• Block vacations now
• Protect pre- and post-travel buffers
• Put the important stuff on the calendar before it gets crowded out

Key Takeaways

• Systems and support are what keep your business stable when life interrupts.
• Saying yes is exciting—but on

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