The Year End Spend and Planning

It’s been a banner year for me and content. I managed to blog and make a video pretty much weekly, I’ve put out more podcast episodes, and I live stream weekly too. Plus, I put out several LinkedIn Learning courses, launched Podcast Liftoff, and published a book. Keeping up with that amount of content has been an interesting challenge, but luckily it’s December. This time of year, I generally think and talk about the same topics: end of the year planning, spending, and reflection.

End of the Year Reflection

I like December because in general, it’s predictable. Work slows down and emails you send after the 20th may not be answered until the next year. It’s a practice in patience, but it also gives you time to reflect.

While I like to take the week between Christmas and New Year’s off, I still like to do some blue sky thinking. I’ll think about the projects I completed, the ones I wanted to complete but didn’t, and where to steer the ship in the coming year.

This is the first part of my end of year planning because I want to have a clear path from one year to the next. I want to tie up any loose ends, like projects that have gone on too long, or sun setting projects I started but don’t intend to finish.

End of the Year Planning

Once I look at how the year went, I’ll start planning the new year. Generally my year-end planning looks like this:

1. Figure out my Yearly Theme based on the criteria above, as well as personal goals
2. Define 4-5 big projects I intend to accomplish and put them on a calendar (this calendar, to be specific)
3. Come up with a loose content plan around those projects
4. Look over my spending for the past year and prepare my accounting so I can get it does as early as possible.
5. Review the tools I use in my business and optimize / update.

This plan always includes implementing the direction I’m taking my podcast in for the year, which I’ll do in November to give myself time to book guests and come up with topics.

This year, I’m also being much more intentional about my blog and YouTube content. Not only did my blog get redesigned in 2020, but it’s also become a hub for all my other content. Further, I’ve made great strides on my YouTube channel, and it’s officially being monetized now.

Lastly, my affiliate income for this year shattered previous years’ income, and I want to learn into that even more.

Big Changes in Direction for 2021

I’m extra excited about 2021 because I feel like it’s going to be a very transformative year for my business. I’m changing directions significantly, and I have really good guideposts for meeting my goals and working my way into a new niche. That, along what everything I’ve learn in 2020, makes me very optimistic for the coming year.

End of the Year Spending

I have a small confession: I’m a little bit of an accounting nerd. I like looking over my books, I probably ask my accountant so many questions she thinks I want to steal her job, and I’m organize.

I have my main source for income and expenses, FreshBooks, and I have a spreadsheet with 3 different sheets: recurring expenses, contractor rates/spend, and lifetime deals highlighting what I spent, and what I save in a 3-year period.

Now, normally my expenses are a lot higher by this time because I traveled a lot in the before time. I traveled exactly once in 2020, and it wasn’t on a plane. So I’m partaking in what many other businesses do at the end of their fiscal years: spending more money¹.

What I’m Buying at End of Year

I wish I could tell you I’m biting the bullet and buying an M1 Mac. The truth is I just bought a MacBook Pro in August that I’m financing on the Apple Card. So the Mac I’m “buying” is paying it off by Dec 31 (like a year ahead of schedule).

It’s likely M-series iMacs will come out in 2021, so I’m saving money for those. I’ll then probably trade in both computers for that sweet sweet Apple Silicon.

So what am I buying? Well, in accordance with point 5 of my year-end planning, I’m looking at tools I’ve used or what to use and making decisions around them. Do I want to nix them for something else, or do I want to: A) Start paying for the pro plan, or (B) Upgrade / switch to annual payments to save 20%.

Digital Tools

For example, I’ve used Airtable for years. But now that I have my VA working in there too, I think it’s finally time to start paying for it.

And Zapier, which my business basically relies on to function, is a tool I pay for monthly. I’ve decided to pay for that annually, and upgrade to the next tier up.

I’ll also consider apps that might be worth paying for here.

Analog / Hardware Tools

In the analog tools category is usually notebooks and pens, refills for my William Hannah journal, and gear.

However, I’m pretty happy with my gear setup for the first time in a long time, so I don’t think I’ll be getting any new hardware. Where I might buck that trend is smart devices for my office. Oh…and a Stream Deck XL.

Wrapping Up

I’d love to hear how you’re reflecting and preparing for next year. Let me know in the comments below!

1. I am not an accountant, nor do I play one on TV. Don’t take this for tax advice. ?