The How of Business - How to start, run, grow and exit a small business. 590 – Annual Strategic Planning
Dec 8, 2025
Discover a practical 10-step guide to creating an annual strategic plan for your small business. Learn how to review the past year, refine your vision, and conduct a SWOT analysis to identify priorities. Henry highlights the importance of setting measurable goals and KPIs while breaking down the plan into actionable quarterly steps. He shares best practices for effective planning, including limiting priorities and ensuring accountability. By the end, you'll be equipped to lead your business with clarity and intention, regardless of changing circumstances.
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Planning Turns Reaction Into Leadership
- Strategic planning stops you from reacting and lets you lead with intention.
- Planning aligns limited resources to the highest-impact priorities for growth.
Base Next Year On A Brutal Review
- Review last year's financials, sales, marketing, customer feedback, and team performance honestly.
- Use those lessons to decide wins to repeat and failures to fix next year.
Confirm Vision Before Setting Goals
- Revisit your long-term vision (3–5 years) and mission before setting annual goals.
- Ensure this year's initiatives directly align with that vision.