Kick Starting 2026

As the calendar flips to a new year, there’s something powerful about the wordstart.A clean slate. A fresh opportunity. A moment to set intention before momentum takes over.

2025 may have been a year of growth, challenge, or even recalibration for you and your business. Whatever it brought, it’s behind you now, and 2026 is waiting to be built with purpose. The best part? You don’t have to wait until January to get started. The work begins now.

At The Collaborative Network, we believe that the most successful companies start each year anchored in four key areas:People, Products, Processes, and Partnerships. Each one plays a vital role in creating clarity, driving growth, and positioning your business for success. So, as you prepare to kick-start 2026, here are a few ways to get ahead in each category.

People: Empower, Engage, and Elevate

Your people are the heart of your business, and their energy, engagement, and alignment will determine your trajectory in 2026.

Take time this month to reflect on your team. Who thrived this year? Who might need new challenges or support? When was the last time you discussed their personal and professional goals, and how those align with the company’s mission?

Consider launching the new year with fresh clarity around roles, expectations, and growth opportunities. Encourage mentorship and collaboration across teams. Create space for honest conversations about what’s working and what’s not.

Most importantly, make sure your people know they’re seen and valued. Recognition and purpose are the twin engines of retention and performance. When your team feels connected to thewhy behind their work, they’ll help you achieve thewhat faster.

• Kick-start tip: Schedule intentional one-on-one conversations this month to focus on 2026 goals, both personal and professional. Listen deeply. Your people will tell you exactly what they need to thrive.

Sid details the importance of energy.

Products: Innovate with Intent

Every new year is a chance to step back and evaluate your product mix through a new lens. What’s performing well? What needs refinement? What deserves to be retired?

In the Contract Interiors industry, success increasingly comes from intentional innovation, designing products that solve real problems for your customers. Ask yourself:

• Are your products keeping pace with how people work today?

• Are you building for flexibility, sustainability, and scalability?

• Is your story clear? Does the market understandwhy your products exist?

Innovation doesn’t always mean something brand new. Sometimes it’s about simplifying, updating, or repositioning what you already do best. The key is alignment, ensuring that your products support your strategy and your customers’ evolving needs.

• Kick-start tip: Host an internal product review session before the end of the year. Celebrate what’s working, challenge assumptions, and identify one new idea worth exploring in Q1.

Processes: Simplify, Streamline, and Scale

Your processes are the invisible framework that determines how effectively your business operates. They can either accelerate growth or quietly slow it down.

As you look to 2026, take a hard look at how work gets done. Where are the bottlenecks? What systems feel outdated or cumbersome? Are your teams spending time on tasks that could be automated or streamlined?

Process improvement isn’t about adding complexity; it’s about removing friction. Simplicity creates freedom: freedom to focus on strategy, innovation, and relationships.

Technology can help, but clarity is where it begins. Ensure that every team understands how their part of the process contributes to the overall mission. When systems are aligned, results follow.

• Kick-start tip: Choose one process that caused frustration in 2025, ordering, quoting, marketing, or onboarding, and commit to improving it by 25% before February. Small wins build big momentum.

• Kick-start tip: Evaluate ways to incorporate AI or other technology to help simplify and streamline processes, especially those that are repetitive and can free up time, allowing your team to do more and embrace new technology.

Partnerships: Deepen Relationships That Drive Growth

The fourth “P” is often the most underestimated: Partnerships. Whether it’s your customers, dealers, reps, or collaborators, your success depends on the strength of these relationships.

The end of the year is a perfect time to reconnect. Reach out to your top partners with gratitude. Thank them for their trust and contribution to your journey. Ask what their goals are for 2026 and how you can help them achieve them.

Partnerships are not transactions; they’re investments. The more value and alignment you create, the stronger your foundation becomes. And don’t forget to look outward: who might be a new ally in the coming year? Complementary brands, service providers, or even fellow small business owners can become powerful growth accelerators.

• Kick-start tip: Identify your top five relationships that will shape your 2026 success, and schedule conversations with each one before the end of the year. Lead with appreciation, curiosity, and collaboration.

Kick Start Now, Not Later

Here’s the truth: momentum doesn’t magically appear on January 1st. It’s built by the decisions and actions you take right now.

As you close out the year, take the time to reflect, reset, and realign. Invest in yourPeople. Re-evaluate yourProducts. Refine yourProcesses. Strengthen yourPartnerships.

2026 isn’t waiting, it’s already calling. Don’t just step into the new year;kick-start it with clarity, confidence, and connection.

Want to learn more about The Collaborative Network? Visit our homepage ➝www.thecollaborative.network