Small Business Growth Tools | Sales, Marketing and Business Growth Strategies for Christian Women in Local Business

98. The BEST way to review 2025 & Plan for 2026 in your small business & life

As we wrap up 2025, I want to invite you to pause before you jump into goal setting, business planning, or strategy for 2026.
In this episode of How to Grow My Small Business, we’re talking about the one thing you need to do before planning for next year—and it has nothing to do with sales funnels, marketing statistics, or even your client work.
If you’re a small business owner, Christian entrepreneur, or faith-led leader who feels:
discouraged about how this year went
unsure whether it was a “good year” or a “bad year”
stuck replaying mistakes, missed goals, or stress
ready for growth but emotionally exhausted
This episode is for you.
I walk you through why our brains are wired to remember the hard things more than the good, how that affects how we evaluate our business and our lives, and how one simple reflection exercise can completely change how you remember this year—and how you plan the next one.
In this episode, we cover:
Why your brain remembers stress, mistakes, and fear more than wins
The science behind negative memory bias and how it impacts entrepreneurs
How faith and awareness help reframe how we evaluate our business year
The one exercise you should do before setting business goals for 2026
Why reviewing your photos and calendar can shift your mindset instantly
How false narratives (like “I didn’t do enough”) quietly sabotage confidence
Why reflection should come before goal setting and strategic planning
How to ask God what He wants for your business in the next season
Faith-based encouragement for business owners coming out of a hard year
Who this episode is for:
Christian entrepreneurs and faith-led business owners
Small business owners reflecting on the end of the year
Entrepreneurs planning goals for 2026
Business owners struggling with burnout, discouragement, or comparison
Leaders who want to grow their business without losing perspective or peace
Key takeaway:
Before you plan what’s next, take time to remember what actually happened.
Your brain won’t automatically remember the good—you have to lead it there on purpose.
This one step may completely change how you view 2025 and how you move into 2026.
About the podcast:
How to Grow My Small Business is a podcast for small business owners who want practical sales strategy, sustainable business growth, and faith-based encouragement without hustle culture.
Hosted by Lindsay Fletcher, business growth strategist and sales coach, the show covers:
sales and follow-up strategies
lead generation for small businesses
faith-based business growth
integrating faith in business
mindset, time management, and leadership
building a business with Jesus at the center
Biblical business strategies
Christian entrepreneurship
growing a sustainable business
If this episode encouraged you, make sure to follow the podcast so you don’t miss the final episode of 2025 and what’s coming next.
Let’s stay connected:
If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow small business owner who needs encouragement heading into the new year.
And remember:You are not behind.You are not failing.And there was more good in this year than your brain is letting you remember.
 
🎧 Listen to Episode 98 now and take this one step before planning 2026.
 
TIME STAMPS:
Episode 98 – One Thing You Must Do Before Planning 2026
0:00–1:00 – Welcome, episode 98 celebration, faith-based business encouragement
1:01–2:10 – End-of-year reflection question: How was this year really?
2:11–4:30 – Why our brains remember the bad more than the good (science + survival)
4:31–6:20 – The danger of letting your brain define the story of your year
6:21–7:30 – The ONE thing to do before planning for 2026
7:31–11:30 – Lindsay walks through personal 2025 memories (family, business, faith)
11:31–12:40 – Challenging the false narratives we carry about ourselves
12:41–14:10 – Why reflection must come before goal-setting
14:11–15:40 – Asking God what He wants for your next season
15:41–end – Gratitude, encouragement

97. Small Business Planning for 2026: Tracking leads to scale your income for Christian Entrerpeneurs

Episode 97 – Do More of What Works: How to Stop the Hamster Wheel and Grow on Purpose
Are you exhausted from doing all the things in your business… but not really seeing the results you want?
In this episode of How to Grow My Small Business, we’re wrapping up 2025 with a straight-talking, faith-fueled strategy session on one simple idea:
If you want different results, you have to do more of what works—and stop doing what doesn’t.
I share a powerful story Alex Hormozi told about a real estate agent who’s making roughly $13,000 an hour from Facebook Lives (yes, really)… and the wildly simple advice he gave her to scale.
Then we pull that principle into your business and walk through:
How to identify what’s actually working
How to spot what’s not working (even if you like doing it)
How to evaluate every task through a simple “sell or serve” filter
Why stewardship—not hustle—is the real growth strategy for Christian entrepreneurs
If you’re tired of running on the business hamster wheel and ready to act like the CEO and steward of your time, money, and gifts, this episode will give you the clarity (and the nudge) you need.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
💡 The $10M Facebook Live example that proves you don’t always need a new strategy—you need more of what works
🧮 How to track where your leads and sales are actually coming from (without a complicated system)
🎯 The two questions I want you to ask about everything in your business:
Does it help me sell?
Does it help me serve?
🛑 Why some of your favorite activities might be secretly holding your business back
📈 How cutting just one low-ROI activity and reinvesting that time or money into a high-ROI one can create exponential growth
🙏 What it looks like to move from “managing” your business to stewarding it as a Christian entrepreneur
Mentioned in this episode:
Free Live Workshop: 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Business📅 December 10, 2025 – 11:30 a.m. Central👉 RSVP (and get the replay if you can’t join live): threethings.lindsayfletcher.co
I’ll be teaching the three things that would have saved me years of spinning my wheels:
How to set a simple, realistic plan
How to get leads
How to follow up in a way that actually leads to sales
If you’re new here…
I’m Lindsay, a business and sales strategist for faith-led small business owners who want to grow without burning out. On How to Grow My Small Business, we talk about:
Sales that feel natural (not slimy)
Business growth rooted in stewardship and strategy
Time management and focus for real-life entrepreneurs
If you’re ready to build a business that actually works—and serves the people God’s called you to—hit follow so you don’t miss the next episode.
🎧 Listen in, then send this to a friend who’s ready to stop doing “all the things” and start doing more of what works.

96. Pursing Goals in Business with Gabe Cox

 
Today’s conversation with Gabe Cox from Red Hot Mindset was a masterclass in faith-fueled goals without hustle culture.
We kicked off with a reminder that I’m hosting a free workshop on December 10th, where I’ll be teaching the three things I wish I’d known before starting a business — especially after starting and stopping (aka failing) five or six businesses before I figured out what actually works to bring in customers and get paid.
Then we dove straight into the heart of this episode:
You do not have to build your business the way “they” say you should.
Living & Leading Outside of “Guru Culture”
Gabe reintroduced herself as a goal-planning and business strategist who helps entrepreneurs craft personalized game plans that fit their season, capacity, and values. Not the guru playbook. Not what “everyone” says you have to do.
She reminded us that everything starts with:
Knowing your priorities and values
Filtering every business decision through those
Asking: Is this life-giving and sustainable for the long run?
She shared her decision to get off social media, even though everyone says, “You have to be there to market.” For her, it came down to putting faith, family, and sustainability first and trusting that God’s strategy may not look like the industry’s strategy.
Flexibility, Faith, and “Blessed Are the Flexible”
We talked about having direction with flexibility — letting God adjust the plan as you go. Gabe quoted one of my new favorite sayings:
“Blessed are the flexible, for they will never be bent out of shape.”
She shared how often we “Abraham and Sarah” our businesses: we hear a promise, we believe God kind of, and then we rush in and try to force the outcome in our own way and on our own timeline. That story from Genesis became a mirror for business:
We start out trusting God.
We get impatient.
We force outcomes.
We create detours we were never meant to take.
The invitation: have a plan, but consult God on the plan and stay open-handed enough to let Him redirect it.
You can connect with Gabe at https://redhotmindset.com and you can find her book at https://redhotmindset.com/mind-over-marathon/ 

95. Practicing Gratitude in Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

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JOIN OUR COMMUNITY: https://facebook.com/groups/shebuildscollective
In this Thanksgiving week episode of How to Grow My Small Business, we step away from strategy and step into gratitude. If you’re an entrepreneur in a tough season, or you’re building your business from the ground up, this episode is for you. Today we are reflecting on the gifts we often forget to acknowledge in our businesses, the blessings God pours into our work, and the impact entrepreneurship can have on our lives, families, and communities.
In this episode Lindsay shares:
• What women inside the She Builds Collective community are most thankful for in their business journeys• The deeper gifts of entrepreneurship beyond clients and revenue• How God uses business ownership to redeem time, provide freedom, and create opportunities• The power of community, connection, and support for Christian women in business• Why gratitude is one of the most important parts of growing a resilient and profitable business• Why thanksgiving shifts perspective during hard seasons• What Lindsay is most thankful for in her own businesses this year• How gratitude strengthens faith-driven entrepreneurship
This episode is designed to encourage Christian entrepreneurs, small business owners, and women pursuing their God-given calling. If you need a reminder that your efforts matter, your work has purpose, and your journey is worth it, this conversation will lift you up.
Takeaway: No matter where you are in your business journey, gratitude can ground you, refuel you, and give you renewed courage for the season ahead.
 
LEAVE A REVIEW ON APPLE PODCASTS
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY: https://facebook.com/groups/shebuildscollective
 

94. Why a Lower Price Doesn’t Always Mean More Sales - The Psychology of Product Pricing with Andee Hart

Welcome back to How to Grow My Small Business with Lindsay Fletcher where we build profitable businesses with faith, strategy and confidence!
Andee Hart, host of She Sells Differently, joins host Lindsay Fletcher to talk about incorporating faith in business, selling in alignment with her Christian values, managing the resources that God has given us, and viewing earning money as gift from God to serve, help, and provide for the needs of others. Andee also shares about the psychology of product pricing and how a lower price doesn't always mean more sales.   
Andee Hart is an energetic entrepreneur, sales strategist, mentor, and host of the podcast, She Sells Differently. While working as a sales executive for a Fortune 500 company, Andee started a passion project, Hart Design Co., of candle making in her own kitchen. What started out as a side hustle with her candles in a handful of local boutiques quickly blossomed into a wildly successful wholesale business and store-front. Within a year, Andee was able to transition from her corporate career to full-time entrepreneurship due to her tenacity, engaging social media presence, and counter-cultural strategies that enable her businesses to thrive in competitive markets. Andee’s mission is to empower women to overcome sales anxiety and grow their businesses with integrity, grace, and humility.
 
Scripture References: Proverbs 31
 
Join our online community where you can connect with other Christian women in small business, share about your business every day of the week, and grow your business in community!  Join She Builds Collective: https://facebook.com/groups/shebuildscollective
 
 
Connect with Andee Hart:
Website: https://andeehart.com
Andee's Strategic Planner - https://andeehart.com/strategic-planner
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andeehart/ 
Hart Design Co Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hartdesignco/ 
Andee’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andeehart/ 
 

93. The Year-End Client Check-In: How to Nurture Relationships to Drive Profit in Your Small Business

The Year-End Client Check-In
As the year wraps up, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of holiday sales, promotions, and endless to-do lists. But what if one of the most powerful things you could do for your business in November and December isn’t about selling more—it’s about connecting better?
In this episode of How to Grow My Small Business, we’re talking about how to reconnect, nurture, and re-engage with your current and past clients so you can strengthen relationships, open doors for future opportunities, and start 2026 on solid ground.
You’ll learn:
Why client check-ins are one of the most overlooked (and profitable) parts of business growth
How to steward your client relationships the same way you steward your time, talents, and resources
Who to reach out to before the end of the year—and how to do it without feeling “salesy”
What to say (and what not to say) when reconnecting with past clients
How to systemize your follow-up so it becomes a consistent part of your business, not an afterthought
The mindset shift that turns check-ins into natural opportunities for collaboration, referrals, and repeat sales
If you’ve ever wondered how to stay top of mind with your clients without chasing them down or feeling like you’re bugging people, this episode will show you how to do it with authenticity and faith.
Action Step:This week, pull out your client list and highlight 10–15 people you can meaningfully reconnect with before the end of the month. Schedule these out!
If this episode helped you:Share it with another faith-led business owner or post it to your social media stories to help other women grow their businesses with purpose and peace.

92. How to Manage Your Calendar & Stay Focused This Holiday Season

Welcome to How to Grow My Small Business!
It’s officially November, which means holiday events, family commitments, and the busyness of running a business are about to collide. In this episode, I’m helping you take control of your calendar and commitments so you can stay focused, productive, and peaceful through the holiday season.
We’ll walk through practical, faith-based strategies for managing your time, aligning your goals with your calendar, and setting healthy boundaries. You’ll learn how to evaluate your commitments, identify time leaks, batch your tasks, and stay on track with your business goals without burning out.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
How to review your calendar and identify high-ROI tasks
What “time leaks” are and how to eliminate them
How to plan and prioritize through prayer and reflection
Why batching and time-blocking increase productivity
How to protect your peace by saying no to low-value commitments
Practical tools to stay organized and intentional through the holidays
This episode is perfect for solopreneurs, small business owners, and women of faith who want to end the year strong without sacrificing their sanity or their families.
If you’re ready to stay accountable, simplify your systems, and move the needle every week, join my group coaching program, She Builds Momentum, at https://momentum.lindsayfletcher.co.
Let’s plan intentionally, invite God into our business strategy, and create a peaceful holiday season together.

91. What to say in follow-ups to boost revenue | Sales for Small Business

If you’ve ever hesitated to follow up with a lead because you didn’t want to sound “pushy,” this episode is for you. Most small business owners lose sales not because they lack leads — but because they stop short of following up.
In this short, power-packed episode, Lindsay Fletcher breaks down:✅ Why so many business owners avoid following up (and how fear of feeling annoying costs you money)✅ Why phrases like “just following up,” “circling back,” and “checking in” instantly shut down conversations✅ What to say instead to sound confident, helpful, and professional✅ Simple follow-up messages that feel natural and build trust✅ A quick challenge to help you turn consistency into cash flow
Whether you’re a Christian entrepreneur, service provider, or small business owner — this episode will help you reframe follow-up as service, not sales pressure.
 
Live in North Houston? Check out WE BUILD. Network Growth + Mastermind Community. RSVP here: https://webuild.lindsayfletcher.co
 
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90. How to Build a Business without Social Media with guest Gabe Cox

Live in North Houston? Join us for We Build., where we align faith and business by growing our network, support each other with best practices and professional development.  RSVP for our next meeting on November 4, 2025 here → https://webuild.lindsayfletcher.co
 
Thank you for joining me today for a discussion with Gabe Cox of Redhot Mindset. In this episode, we talk about:
Incorporating faith into your business
How she lives without social media as a business owner
Evaluating her return on investment when she was on social media
What she she does instead of social media
Gabe’s online summit “Grow Your Biz without Social Media”
 
I’m excited to announce that I will be a featured speaker in Gabe’s summit in 2026, so join my email list so you don’t miss out on this awesome summit!  https://lindsayfletcher.co 
 
Gabe Cox is a goal planning and business strategist and the founder of Red Hot Mindset. She helps entrepreneurs personalize and take action on a game plan that works with their capacity in different seasons so that they don't have to sacrifice everything to hit their goals. She teaches how to market your business without relying on social media so that you can ditch the hustle culture for good.
 
You can connect with Gabe Cox at https://redhotmindset.com
Gabe’s podcast Pursuing Goals God’s Way: https://redhotmindset.com/podcast
Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pursuing-goals-gods-way-start-an-online-business-for/id1504519991

89. The 3C's - how to turn conversations into clients | Sales Tips & Strategy for Small Business

Are you relying on social media to bring in clients — but it’s just not converting?
In this episode of How to Grow My Small Business, host Lindsay Fletcher shares how to stop chasing algorithms and start building trust through real conversations.
You’ll learn the simple 3C Framework — Connect, Clarify, Close — to turn everyday conversations into paying clients without being pushy or awkward.
Whether you’re a small business owner, Christian entrepreneur, or part of a service-based business, this episode will help you and your team master the art of people-first sales that align with your faith and values.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why conversations build more trust and conversions than social media posts
The #1 mistake business owners make after a great conversation (and how to fix it)
The simple 3C Framework for turning chats into clients
How to clarify needs and offer your solution confidently
What to say to close the conversation without feeling pushy
Why follow-up is the key to consistent sales
How to create a repeatable system for genuine client relationships
If you have someone on your team who answers phones, texts, or emails, this episode is a must-listen. Share it with them so they can learn how to turn conversations into revenue — while keeping your business faith-driven and customer-focused.
 
Links Mentioned:
💻 Join We Build — the faith-based network and mastermind group for Christian entrepreneurs that live in North Houston: https://webuild.lindsayfletcher.co
📩 Subscribe to Lindsay’s free resources & updates: https://lindsayfletcher.co
 
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