The Growth Readiness Audit: Your End-of-Year Checklist

Every time I’m about to go on a trip, I try to do a few things that will make returning a little easier. It can be difficult in the midst of packing, but I’ve found that it’s so worth it when I return home, that it’s worth pushing a little harder up until the moment I’m officially in vacation mode. 

In theory, you know that it is worthwhile to do the same thing as a business owner before taking time off work, but figuring out how to do that is a bigger challenge. We all know how the start of the year goes, that end of the year energy slump mixes with the holiday sugar coma, and suddenly you wake up in the first week of January in a panic, with no time for any of the “goals” you thought you’d kick off. 

What if there’s a better way? What if you could go ahead and schedule system optimization so you can start the new year in a better place than you’ve ever been before? The honest truth is, that’s a decision you need to make now, not in January. 

It doesn’t mean having to do everything in December, it can be as simple as evaluating where you are at year-end, so you know what to fix in January. So here are some benchmarks to think about for next year to determine your company’s growth readiness for 2026: 

Strategic capacity planning: can your team handle what you want to sell next year?

You probably have dreams about what your business will do next year, as you should! Every visionary leader knows that sustainable growth doesn’t just take ambition–it also takes strategy. That means team capacity planning and making sure you have the systems to support your goals. 

This is where operations optimization comes in handy. Prepping your business to succeed next year means more than just bringing in new clients or customers. It also means having a strong infrastructure on the back end that you can trust to handle the higher traffic you are dreaming of and working toward. 

So how do you get your business from where it is now to where it needs to go? A small business system audit can show you where your pain points are (we have a free stress test that you can take in just five minutes). 

Maybe you don’t even need to take a test, you already know that your systems (or just one tool in general) needs help, you just haven’t had the time. If that’s you, keep reading because we have a brand new offer that might be just the thing you need (look for the SOS signal). 🆘

Saying “yes” to a new client shouldn’t feel like a gamble. Having the right system in place allows you to go into the new year with confidence that you haven’t overcommitted your team or set them up to underperform. 

Growing your business is a marathon, but optimizing your systems can actually be a sprint that gives you incredible momentum for growth!

Operational efficiency reality check: is your business set up to scale?

As your dreams grow, is your business really prepared to take you there? Are there systems that made sense when you were starting out that are now limiting your ability to keep growing? 

It happens to businesses all the time, you start small and you scale larger, but at some point your old systems begin to feel like a pair of jeans from your pre-teens – fine for their time, but no longer what you need. (I can relate to this as I’m currently living in maternity pants). 

You don’t need systems that were ideal in your past and just barely work for where you are now. You need systems that you can grow into, systems that are actually set up to scale with your business and to make your dreams a reality. 

Resource alignment + leadership capacity: do you have space to lead?

If your schedule is at capacity, you’re actually way beyond capacity… you need to have space to be the visionary leader, not having your every second filled to the brim. 

Even when the team is talented, if you aren’t working as the leader, you will become the bottleneck. I know how overwhelming it can feel to be told that you need more space and more free time when you are working your hardest to make space for everyone else.

You’ve probably had delegation preached to you until the speaker was blue in the face, but the truth is that delegation only works when your business has the structure to support it. 

You can’t be the strategist AND be running the systems manually. Your operations should be a resource that supports you and gives you space. If they aren’t, the good news is that you know exactly what to optimize so that you can get back the leadership capacity you’ve been needing. 

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Increase Your Growth Readiness for 2026!

As you’ve read through this audit, have you determined that you need a little optimization to set yourself up well for next year? Minimal effort now can set you up for maximum returns in the new year!

At Upwell Strategies, we often book out with eager clients in January who are ready to audit their systems or optimize their business efficiency with an operations strategist. Instead of being caught in the scramble at the start of next year, you can go ahead and book your spot now, because we’ve made it easier than ever!

Introducing the … System Optimization Sprint (SOS) 🆘

Know that you need a singular system optimized, and want to have it done as quickly as possible? We could be implementing solutions in just ONE MONTH, if you decide you are ready to book with us for this offering. 

The System Optimization Sprint is a four week project aimed at optimizing a single platform within your tech stack—this quick-moving project is a laser focused deep dive to ensure a thorough optimization of your system. After 30 days you’ll get: an audit for one core system, recommendations on what to optimize, and implementation of all approved recommendations. 

While we also offer and recommend holistic solutions for bigger system reboots, sometimes you need a fix that can happen faster and launch you into the year with momentum. The System Optimization Sprint is for that SOS moment, when you know the exact system that needs another pair of eyes and some strategic TLC. 

This package is only available for our most frequently implemented platforms including: ClickUp, Monday.com, and Asana for project management and Honeybook and Dubsado for CRMs. 

→ Book your System Optimization Sprint Now

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