Episode 85: CEO Debrief: 2025 Wins, Lessons, and Reflections

Written By Heidi Schmidt

This year stretched me—in the best and hardest ways. And, if you know what’s to come, this is only the beginning, right?

In this unfiltered end of year recap, I’m pulling back the curtain on the wins I didn’t expect, the misses I’d repeat differently, and the pivots that changed our momentum in Q4.

You’ll hear why “diversify” became my lifeline, how I navigated client churn and capacity without burning out my team (or myself), and the surprising offers that worked when the “sure things” didn’t. If you’ve been building mid-flight and wondering what to double down on next, don’t miss out on these lessons. 

We’ll finish with what’s staying, what’s getting cut, and the 3 focus moves I’m taking into 2026 for the best year ever. 

Episode Highlights:

  • The theme of 2025: diversification…of offers, revenue, and relationships.

  • How I protected capacity and let the team lead more.

  • What I learned about new services – with simpler, clearer offers versus offers that drained energy. 

  • Why community beats the algorithm every time and how pruning misaligned work opened doors for referrals.

  • Campaign lessons carried over: clear messaging and consistency drive real conversions.

  • For 2026, how I’m simplifying ops and doubling down on what’s already proven.

Resources & Mentions:

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Connect with me:

Heidi Schmidt https://www.heidijschmidt.com
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Episode 84: 2026 Social Media Trends You Can’t Ignore