“I open the door.  The gorgeous guest from afar sweeps in.  In her hands are her gifts–the gifts of hours and far-seeing moments, the gift of mornings and evenings, the gift of spring and summer, the gift of autumn and winter.  She must have searched the heavens for boons so rare.”  Abbie Graham

“December’s gifts–custom, ceremony, celebration, consecration–come to us wrapped up, not in tissue and ribbons, but in cherished memories.  This is the month of miracles.  The oil that burns for eight days, the royal son born in a stable, the inexplicable return of Light on the longest, darkest night of the year.  Where there is Love, there are always miracles.  And where there are miracles, there is great joy.  Gratefully we weave the golden thread of the sixth principle of Simple Abundance—Joy— into our tapestry of contentment.  At last we embrace the miracle of authenticity, changing forever how we view ourselves.  Our daily round.  Our dreams.  Our destinies.  Days we once called common, we now call holy.”  Sarah Ban Breathnach from Simple Abundance

“Giving presents is a talent; to know what a person wants, to know when and how to get it, to give it lovingly and well.”  Pamela Glenconner

Welcome to the month of December.  It seemed to just quietly slip in unnoticed under the cover of a late Thanksgiving.  What happened to that full week break we used to have between Thanksgiving dinner and the first day of December?  The month of December is typically stressful and calming all at the same time.  I find it relaxing and exhausting.  Does that make sense?

In the business side of my mind, I look at December as a time to ask questions.  What is it about the year 2025 that worked for me and those I try to help?  What did not work?  What changes do we need to consider before we get rewound back to the starting line known as January?  If the business did not thrive in 2025, what makes us think it will thrive in 2026?  If we finally found success, how do we keep it going, maybe find more success?

Are we working with the right customers or do we need to find a whole new batch?  If so, where do we find them–or do we just sit around the fireplace, hot chocolate in hand, waiting for them to find us?  Do our customers want what we are selling—this is a fast changing world you know?  Have we looked at ways to expand our business to other markets—certainly Amazon did not feel confined, did they?  Are we going to the right events, keeping our face and voice well known to the marketplace—or are we hiding behind the belief that business events held for the purpose of meeting and knowing others in the marketplace are a colossal waste of time?

The questions we can ask ourselves are endless, it is the answers that are tough to come by.  If you are not comfortable with your gross revenue or your bottom line earnings or your current group of employees or your everyday duties and responsibilities, do you really want to repeat 2025 in the year–and years–to come?  If you are feeling stuck in the mud, do you just stand there or do you take your boots off and find cleaner ground?  Well, what is stopping you?  I suppose that last question is the toughest one of all to answer truthfully and honestly.  It is a scary question.  Whatever answer you give to the question of what is stopping you most probably takes you down a path of change, significant change…and change is hard.

If you would like to sit and talk with someone that has looked at and experienced business in its many forms, I have invited my PEOPLE group to schedule a time with me at Delmar Divine from 11-2 on Wednesday, December 17th and I want to extend that same invitation to the WBEDC group.  I would be happy to hear you out and possibly guide you to a better path.  Sometimes, it just helps to talk, there are answers and the more you actively look for them, the easier they are to find.  My dream as this year closes is for all the MWBE firms I know and work with to find success in 2026, grow their business, be happy personally, and share their success with others that walk behind them.  What a lovely dream.

If interested in talking and sharing your thoughts aloud, email me and let’s set a time.  This is not a group session, just whoever you bring to the table and me.  Simple as that.  It will require an appointment–probably one hour in time.  If I receive no calls or emails, I will go ice fishing that day or possibly hide in my warm office and work on my next book.  If Wednesday, December 17th from 11-2 does not work for you and you would like me to come to your office at a more convenient time and strategize with you, give me some dates and times and we will see if we can make it work.  All discussions will be strictly confidential.

I think we all owe it to ourselves to make every attempt to make life better in 2026, business and personal.  How do we do that if we do not ask questions and seek answers to those questions?  When you change lanes on Highway 64, you have to take action—turn your blinker on, move the steering wheel, adjust the gas pedal, make sure the lane is clear and available for your use.  This requires deliberate thought and careful planning–especially in rush hour traffic.  Adjusting your business to a different lane requires deliberate thought as well–maybe there are others in that lane and there is no more room?  Maybe it is your time to create a whole new lane?  Maybe you are better off staying in your lane and working out the kinks and widening your lane a bit?

December is the month to have these sorts of thoughts.  January will be here soon after the last family photo is taken and “BANG”–the gun goes off and the next race begins.

Happy December everyone, see you in 2026.

WBEDC

Ron