#59 - 2026 Business Planning Part 1: Why Founders Must Start NOW (Not December)

If Q1 always feels slow, you’re planning too late. This is Part 1 of our 2-part annual planning series, where host Jessica Marx (with Brooke Dumas) shares why the most successful 7–8 figure founders lock in their next-year strategy now —not December. You’ll learn: Why waiting until December or January almost guarantees a sluggish Q1. How to use 9 months of real data to decide what to scale, stop, or start for 2026. The cash-flow advantage of securing contracts and deposits in Q4. Why your finance team and staff need runway to resource Q1 initiatives. How to review leadership, fractionals, and agencies like a pro sports team roster—keeping A-players, upgrading gaps. Why stepping away from the weeds to plan with peers unlocks bigger, faster decisions. Next week in Part 2, Jessica and Brooke will walk you step-by-step through the 2026 Business Planner, showing you exactly how to run the process yourself. Mini-timeline 00:43–01:20 Why we plan in September (not December) 03:07–04:09 The Q1 slowdown problem—and how to prevent it 05:35–07:38 Securing next year’s revenue in Q4 08:42–11:06 What to bring to planning meetings 14:03–16:00 Re-rostering your team for the next “season” 18:50–21:13 The importance of stepping away to think Resources Download the 2026 Business Planner or at millionsweremade.com Follow @MillionsWereMade on Instagram for frameworks + strategy tips Connect with Jessica: Instagram: @millionsweremade | @thejessicamarx Work with Jessica: Tailored Premier Website: Millions Were Made