As the year comes to a close, most small business owners are tired. That’s normal. But this short window before January is also one of the most useful moments of the year — a chance to pause, take stock, and make a few smart decisions that can quietly compound over the next twelve months.

You don’t need a full reset or a 30-page plan. A handful of honest check-ins is usually enough to set the tone for a stronger year ahead.

Here are five year-end checks worth doing before the calendar flips.

1. Get Clear on Your Real Numbers

Before thinking about growth, goals, or what’s next, take a look at how the year actually went.

At a minimum, you should have a rough sense of how much revenue came in, how much you spent, and whether you ended the year up or down. These don’t need to be final tax numbers — a high-level snapshot is enough to be useful.

Once you have the numbers in mind, reflect on them. Did the year turn out the way you expected? Were there surprises, good or bad? This is a great moment to use a tool like Cofounder as a thought partner — to pressure-test what worked, what didn’t, and how you might adjust next.

Clarity here makes every other decision easier. You can even use this clarity to update or create a business plan, an important framework for the year ahead.

2. Make Your Business Grant-Ready

Even if you’re not applying for grants right now, preparing your core business information before the year ends will save you time later.

Most funding opportunities ask for the same things: what your business does, where it operates, how long it’s been around, and why you started it. Having clear answers written down — even in short form — means you can move quickly when opportunities come up.

On Skip, all of this lives in your Workspace under the Grants Vault. If you haven’t completed it yet, now’s a good time. You’ll even get a score that shows how ready your business is.

Being prepared turns “I should apply” into “I’m ready when it opens.”

3. Be Honest About What Worked (and What Didn’t)

One of the most valuable year-end exercises is also one of the simplest: looking back without sugarcoating things.

Where did your revenue really come from? What activities paid off? What quietly drained time or money without delivering much in return?

This isn’t about judging past decisions — it’s about learning from them. Most businesses don’t grow because they add more and more things. They grow because they stop doing what isn’t working.

This step goes hand-in-hand with understanding your numbers and directly informs how you plan for the year ahead.

4. Tighten Up Your Online Presence

Before the new year begins, make sure your business looks legitimate and current online.

Your website, business description, and contact information should reflect who you are today — not who you were two years ago. Customers, partners, lenders, and even grant reviewers will often look you up before ever reaching out, and small inconsistencies can create unnecessary friction.

On Skip, this means reviewing your business page, updating or creating a website if needed, and making sure your domain and branding feel professional. This is usually a short task with long-term payoff.

5. Set One Clear Goal — and Lock In the Basics

Instead of setting vague resolutions, pick one clear goal for the next 90 days. Something concrete and measurable.

That might be reaching a specific monthly revenue number, landing your next set of customers, finishing a business plan, or applying to funding opportunities. The goal matters less than the focus.

This is also a good moment to look at the tools and services you already know you’ll use next year. Some business owners choose to prepay for software, subscriptions, or services they rely on — both to simplify planning and, in some cases, for potential tax advantages depending on their situation. Always check with a tax professional, but don’t ignore this step entirely.

For example, if you plan to use Skip’s member features to fund or grow your business in 2026, paying annually can meaningfully reduce cost compared to monthly pricing.

Momentum is built in short, focused sprints — not perfect long-term plans.

A Final Thought

You don’t need to reinvent your business in January.

A little clarity now — about how the year went, what actually matters, and what you want to focus on next — can unlock a calmer, more confident year ahead.

Strong businesses aren’t built by doing everything at once. They’re built by making a few good decisions, consistently, at the right time.