Beauty business guide: reflecting on 2025 & setting goals for 2026

Scratch columnist & beauty business and mindset coach, Zaara King, offers tips for success as we reach the end of the year…

Don’t burn yourself out just because you’ve seen social media posts asking ‘what do you have to show for 2025?’. Although the intention to recognise your highlights from the past 12 months is good, it can also lead to feelings of guilt and overwhelm. I want you to recognise that you have done your best and will continue to do so, within your own capacity and while filling your own cup.

From now until the end of the year is a great time to focus on things that bring you joy, so that you feel energised and finish 2025 on a high. This will also help you to create sustainable goals for your life and business. Once you have a list of things that make you happy, start implementing them in the form of daily habits or scheduling time in your diary to do them.

Next, look back over 2025 and gain some clarity in terms of your business and personal life. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What have you done that went well?
• Did anything unexpected happen that was great?
• What set you back?
• Were there any goals you set yourself that you have let go?
• Did any of this year’s previous quarters exhibit a pattern that could be repeated next year?

Give yourself some validation as to how far you’ve come, be grateful for what life has brought you this year and use this information to fuel your future.

Putting yourself first while acknowledging your success and areas for improvement will help you gain clarity when you set your next goals. These objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Actionable, Realistic/Relevant and Timely.

You may want to set goals for client numbers, offers and marketing. Listen to my podcast episode: Setting goals for Q4 with marketing ideas for the festive period, below.

Once your goals have been set, ensure you can track them. You’re about to enter a busy spell in business, so having a method to track your achievements and progress will keep you focused.

If you need a business hub to help, I offer coaching via my Four Figure Focus membership. Click here to sign up and use code SCRATCH for 50% off your first month’s membership.

Read Zaara’s 2025 column for Scratch in the digital issue here.

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