Every year around this time, I sit down to map out the direction for the next twelve months. My approach is simple and strategic. No rituals, no journaling, no coffee moments. Just clear thinking, numbers, and ambition. Here is how I am setting my business goals for 2026.
For 2026, I’m using the same framework I always rely on: think big, set a bold long-term direction, translate that into a high but realistic annual target, and turn it into a concrete plan.
My Roadmap to High-Growth Planning
How I Am Setting My Business Goals for 2026
Start With a BHAG (3 to 5 Years Out)
One methodology that has been key to our success are the Rockefeller Habits. The most transformative aspect of the Rockefeller Habits for me has been the concept of the Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG). A BHAG is a long-term goal that’s so ambitious it feels almost unattainable.
I first look beyond 2026. I set a BHAG, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal, for the next three to five years. This BHAG is intentionally oversized. It forces me to think beyond current limitations. It is not designed to be comfortable. It is designed to stretch.
Once I am clear on that big destination, the rest becomes a matter of working backwards.
Recommended Reading: Achieve Growth with a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)
Define the Annual Goal Based on Data (and Ambition)
After the BHAG, I decide what the next year must realistically look like. In the early years of Experiencegift, we could triple sales simply because we were small and fast moving. As the company became bigger, the targets evolved. Today, doubling sales is usually the benchmark, still aggressive but achievable with solid execution.
My annual goals are always a mix of what the numbers from last year tell me, where I want to push the business, and what level of growth feels both challenging and realistic. This creates healthy pressure without setting the team up for failure.
Quantify Everything
I don’t work with vague goals. Every ambition becomes a measurable target. Examples of business goals I quantify include growth per country, total global revenue target, B2C and B2B splits, launch timelines for new concepts, opening a new office, marketing and sales performance KPIs, operational efficiency metrics, and hiring and team growth.
If it cannot be measured, I don’t set it as a goal.
Set Personal Goals With Equal Clarity
My personal goals are part of the planning process because they keep my life balanced and enjoyable. These usually include quality time with family, trips abroad, the type of lifestyle I want next year, and time I want available outside work. This ensures I build a business that supports the life I want, not the other way around.
Turn It Into a Concrete Plan
Once the goals are clear, I build the plan. Quarterly milestones, key projects, who owns what, hiring needs, budget and resources, and internal priorities. This is where abstract goals turn into actual execution. Without this step, goals remain ideas. With it, they become a roadmap.
Recommended Reading: Goal Setting for the New Year (How to Do It Properly)
Looking Ahead to 2026
The themes for 2026 are straightforward: grow sales in key markets, strengthen performance in underdeveloped markets, potentially open a new office, launch new concepts, and continue scaling globally in a structured way. Ambitious, yes, but aligned with where the company is heading.
What to Read Next: Why Not You? Empowering Women in Business to Think Big and Lead Boldly
