how I reflect.

I love this time of year as a writer.

There’s a natural prompt that comes as the end of the year arrives that gets the juices flowing.

At the start of the year - this was a newsletter about AI.

We’re now at the end of the year - and it’s a newsletter focused on early growth.

The reason for that change was simple - it’s closer to my business.

But a bigger reason is a general uneasiness about what’s happening with AI, the world, and what’s going to stand out in the future.

So indulge me while I share what worked well this year, what was challenging, and how I’m thinking about 2025.

What worked well

• A lot of my work in recent years has lended itself to helping causes. This presented as strategies for NFPs, helping regional and indigenous accelerator programs, and guest lectures for communities in need. I joined the SANE board this year and found a new way to give back in the mental health space. It fills my cup and enables me to pursue commercial opportunities knowing this cup is full.
• Relocating to Kangaroo Ground. Georgie and I had been umming and ahhhing on this one as we like our space. But as things got harder on the work and home fronts, relocating to her parent’s hobby farm became a no-brainer. It’s been an adjustment - but seeing our twin boys prosper with the extra space has been a big blessing.
• Since learning about my ADHD I’ve leaned into fitness as one of my main tools for working with the traits, and this focus has compounded. I’ve had an injury-free year with a mix of competitive basketball, HIIT, and running - and am the fittest I’ve ever been as an adult. Not bad for a 41 year old and since becoming a Dad I’m very motivated to keep it up as long as I can.

What didn’t work well

• Switching my emphasis to coaching in the second half of the year was very intentional - but a huge challenge to get going continuously. I have a great network of startup programs that regularly employ me - but not enough for it to be the major source of income. I played with various offers and had some success - but not enough to warrant continuing this approach in 2025.
• Engaging an outside agency for lead generation. It was a challenging year on the home front and I found it hard to navigate sleeplessness and business development. So when an opportunity to partner with an agency who would do lead generation for me - I took it. They had experience working with coaches and because it had a guarantee it seemed like a no-brainer. This didn’t pan out as promised and as a small business owner that hurt.
• Business mentoring through the Digital Solutions Program. The idea of booked meetings for business coaching in my calendar was good in principle - but wasn’t great in practice. Anyone with an ABN and <20 employees in Victoria could book subsidised coaching from me, but what this meant was a huge range of differing skills (not a huge problem), that didn’t pay well (problematic), and filled with no-shows (huge problem). The pitch was some of these business owners could become leads for further help, which didn’t materialise because most mentees weren’t good fit (nor could afford) other services I offer. The no shows resulted in not getting paid AND blocking out time for other paying customers.

What I’m thinking about for 2025

• Doing more subscriptions. I met another coach in the Digital Solutions program that runs Cynch - they do a cyber fitness program for small business owners. Customers book monthly, get access to calendar slots, and can work through both upskilling content and current cybersecurity issues on calls. It’s not a stretch to position something similar for digital marketing/growth.
• More big bets. Another large startup opp has presented itself and the early signs are good. There may be something here and I’ll know more early next year.
• Events/training calendar. Complementary to the first point are workshops I can run and offer to subscribers or as one-offs to people interested in a topic. One thing I love doing is lighting up a room and the feedback I get is great. I think I want to plan these out and batch out a regular cadence either F2F or online.
• Professional speaking. I’m great at it, and want to do more of it. Am thinking about joining a Toastmasters to keep sharpening the skill and to get more aggressive on the sounding out opportunities front.
• Blogging. The online world is full of inauthentic and generated crap right now and I’m tempted to go balls to the wall on expressive, aggressive, and opinionated writing just because.

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So what are you thinking about for next year? Have you started to?

If you’re stuck - just steal what I did - good, bad, thinking about…

I swear it’s more important to just do it than obsess over the format/style.

Also this question is genuine and not some lead magnet engagement bait - if you’re still on this newsletter (despite my encouraging pleas to unsubscribe along the way) it means you care enough to read what I have to say.

In turn I care about what you have to say.

Thanks for reading and have a great finish to the year and some relaxing into 2025.

-Marshy

p.s. I’ll be tools down on this newsletter and will appear again in the New Year :)

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