It’s that time of year where EVERYONE keeps talking about their “big goals” for 2026 - new products, more customers, bigger sales, maybe even finally EXPANDING into their dream storefront… but nobody wants to talk about the SMALL, unsexy habits that actually get you there.

But here’s the truth (said with TONS of love):

Your business isn’t going to magically grow just because the date on the calendar changes.

If you want 2026 to FEEL different - more profitable, more peaceful, more purposeful - then the way you run your business has to change. Not dramatically. Not overnight. But in tiny, intentional shifts that build momentum one decision at a time.

So buckle up, because I’m going to share 10 Micro-habits for you to adopt before 2026!

WARNING: They might sting…But they also might be the EXACT turning point your business needs.

Let’s get into it 👇🏼

1. Know and understand EVERY SINGLE one of your numbers

Not just the “pretty” ones: I’m talking about knowing your COST and PROFIT per item. Being able to identify which products are PROFIT suckers and which ones are actually BENEFITING your business will help your bottom line tremendously. By tracking your costs from ingredients, utilities, overhead, and labor will allow you to PIVOT when you notice your costs are rising.

2. Schedule a “PLANNING” date once a month.

At the beginning of every month, I would sit down with my team, look at what's trending, what's happening in the world, any wacky holidays or MAJOR holidays we can piggyback off of, and GET CREATIVE. We would plan out our flavors for the month, any specials we were gonna run, the designs of all our in-store products, and create a marketing and production schedule based on our workload. When you prioritize PLANNING, you approach your business in a more purposeful and intentional way.

3. Tighten your MENU- not expand it.

The fastest-growing bakeries and food establishments focus on CUTTING low-profit margin items, simplifying their offerings (eliminating BUYER fatigue and overwhelm), selling what’s SCALABLE, and only taking on custom orders that MAKE SENSE for them and the direction they want their business to go. More products DOES NOT equal more profit. The costs of ingredients are TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE to be offering products that DRAIN your profit margin and take a TON of time to make.

4. Build TRUST- not just content.

Stop throwing out content just to put out content. It’s 2026, people are TIRED of being sold to 24/7, fake-ness, and being treated like another dollar sign. BE YOU. You are the BRAND and BUSINESS. Show off your process, what a day in your life looks like, talk to your followers and community like a human, be vulnerable and authentic. That’s where TRUST and CONNECTION grow.

5. Stop romanticizing being the ONE-WOMAN show.

Sis, there is NO AWARD for overworked female of the year. In 2026, we’re prioritizing our WELLBEING, and that means allowing others to come in and HELP YOU. Whether that’s hiring help, or having a friend answer your DMs or emails, or having your kids do the dishes for their “allowance.” If you wanna gro,w then we have to EXPAND your capacity, and we can’t do that if you’ve got your hands tangled up in every single thing.

6. Be CONSISTENT, not perfect.

Perfection is a LIE, so stop reaching for it. Instead, share everything, be present, not everything has to be edited. Striving for perfection just results in PROCRASTINATION. (Read that again!)

7. Take a break when things feel heavy.

We’re living in a time where things are scary in the world, and it’s easy to feel like you’re being buried. It doesn’t make you a failure for taking the SPACE you need to breathe. Pick one day a week or an entire month, I don’t care, but just UNPLUG. I promise it will help your mental and physical health.

8. Implement systems so you’re not reinventing the wheel.

If you’re doing something MORE than once, there should be a process or system for that. (I.e., answering emails, opening/closing duties, taking an order, etc). Systems and processes ELIMINATE overwhelm and disorganization. And they’re 100% NECESSARY if you’re trying to scale at all.

9. Raise your prices to match your REAL LIFE.

Listen, inflation ain’t deflating anytime soon. We can’t keep absorbing all these costs and doing free sh*t in our business if we wanna scale and grow. That’s how you end up running a NON-PROFIT organization. Enough friend. You deserve to make a living, too.

10. Read ONE book per month that grows YOU- not just your business.

The person BEHIND the business matters more than the menu, the marketing, or the money… because YOU are the engine that drives it all. Your business will NEVER outgrow the woman (or man) running it. In 2026, make it your mission to expand your mind. Whether it’s books on leadership, personal development, communication, confidence… WHATEVER helps you show up as a better HUMAN and a better CEO.

11. BONUS: Take Radical RESPONSIBILITY for your business and your life.

No more blaming the algorithm, cheap customers, your city, your “slow season,” or the economy. Leaders look at what they CAN control and take action -even when it’s uncomfortable or uncertain. Owning your role as the CEO is the most powerful move you can make. You are not powerless. You are not stuck. You just gotta decide to do something about it.

2026 is coming whether you’re ready or not… so choose to be ready.

These aren’t massive overhauls that are going to flip your life upside down or take MONTHS to implement.

They’re small, intentional habits that stack, compound, and transform your business from the inside out.

Growth doesn’t happen by accident, friend.

It happens because YOU decided you’re done playing small.

If you want help building the systems, strategy, confidence, and momentum to actually scale in 2026…take my FREE QUIZ, and I’ll send you a personalized business blueprint based on where you’re at in your business journey.

Xo, Janelle