If 2026 Had a Rough Start, This One's For You | Ep. 85

If 2026 has had a rough start for you, this episode is your permission to slow down, reset, and change the trajectory before the year gets any further away from you.

In today’s episode, I talk honestly about why the start of February can feel like one of the hardest inflection points of the year, especially if January didn’t go the way you hoped. Whether it’s weather-related revenue hits, unexpected cancellations, team challenges, or simply feeling behind on your goals, I share three high-level principles that can help you regain clarity and momentum.

If you’re feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or questioning whether this will really be your year, this episode is meant to help you step out of panic mode, identify what’s actually holding you back, and make the decisions that will move you forward.

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 – Why February can feel like a make-or-break moment

0:44 – Taking a breath when the year starts rough

1:39 – Three principles for resetting momentum

2:25 – Principle #1: Slow down and exit panic mode

4:39 – Facing the real barrier beneath the surface problem

6:33 – What’s actually within your control to change

8:20 – Principle #3: Making the hard decision

8:46 – A real DogCo bottleneck and what I missed

10:47 – Hiring before capacity breaks

12:55 – Recap and encouragement moving forward

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Why panic-driven decisions almost always make things worse

• How slowing down improves the quality of your decisions

• Why surface problems often hide deeper constraints

• How to identify what is actually within your control

• Why unaddressed bottlenecks only grow over time

• How avoiding hard decisions compounds pressure

• Why honest reflection creates faster course correction

🚀 Want a Real-World Example of What’s Possible?

If you want to see how clarity, leadership, and intentional decision-making can change the direction of a business, I’ve put together a case study showing how one pet care company grew monthly revenue from $19,000 to over $73,000 in a single year.

👉 You can access the case study at https://www.dogcolaunch.com/casestudy and see how DogCo Launch supports pet care owners who are ready to grow with intention and resilience.

This episode is a reminder that a hard start does not define your year. What matters is how quickly you slow down, face the real barrier, and make the decision that allows you to move forward.

-M