Stop Setting Business Goals You Can’t Actually Support

What if the business goals you’re setting for next year aren’t actually right for the business you want to build? It’s business planning season, and everyone is talking about revenue goals, scaling, getting more clients, launching new offers, and growing their businesses. But before you decide you’re going to double your revenue or triple your client roster, there’s something important to consider: Can your business actually support the growth you’re planning for? And do you even WANT the business that comes with those goals? In Episode 33 of the Solopreneur CEO podcast, Carin Kilby Clark and Marcia Sheehan discuss strategic business planning for solopreneurs, setting realistic growth goals, and the importance of aligning your business strategy with your actual capacity, lifestyle, and long-term vision. Because there’s a difference between planning for the business you have, planning for the business you want, and planning for the business someone else convinced you should want. It’s easy to set an ambitious revenue target without thinking through what achieving it will require. Maybe you want eight coaching clients a month, but you’re already stretched thin serving four. Maybe you want to double your revenue, but your client delivery systems, marketing, and available time aren’t prepared to support that growth. And sometimes, the bigger business you’re chasing isn’t even the business you actually want. In this conversation, we explore how to approach annual and quarterly business planning more intentionally, including: Setting realistic business goals without limiting your ambition Understanding your true capacity before increasing your client load Planning for your current business while building toward your future vision Aligning revenue goals with your lifestyle and personal priorities Accounting for your health, relationships, family, and current season of life Evaluating whether your offers and client delivery systems can support growth Turning aspirational business goals into actionable plans Recognizing when outside expectations are influencing your definition of success We also share how we’re approaching our own business planning retreat and why we believe strategic planning should involve more than writing down goals and hoping everything works out. If you want to double your revenue, what needs to change about your business model? Can your current systems support more clients? Do you have the capacity to deliver the experience your clients deserve? And what would achieving those goals actually mean for your everyday life? The goal isn’t just to build a bigger business. It’s to build a business you actually WANT to run. 📅 READY TO PLAN YOUR NEXT QUARTER? Join us for our Q1 2027 Strategy Planning Workshop on December 11! This workshop is included for Success Secret Society members, and we’re also opening registration to solopreneurs outside the membership. We’ll help you look at your business goals, offers, systems, capacity, and the actual steps required to move your business forward. Join our FREE Solopreneur CEO community to access the calendar and register: thesolopreneurceo.com ABOUT THE SHOW The Solopreneur CEO show is a podcast by Carin Kilby Clark and Marcia Sheehan for experienced solopreneurs who want their businesses to run without constant hustle, burnout, or chaos. Shift into CEO leadership, operate with strategic clarity, and leverage confidence without burnout. #BusinessPlanning #BusinessGoals #Solopreneur #BusinessGrowth #StrategicPlanning