Businesses are just like people, promising change in the new year, sticking to resolutions for the first month, and quickly fading by the end of Q1. The problem isn’t intention or ambition. It’s not going for the right resolutions, smart decisions that stick. This list gives you a head start of ideas, practical and realistic resolutions that can help achieve growth in 2026.
Resolution 1: Fix Inefficiencies Before Chasing Growth
Before making headline-worthy resolutions, look inward first. Fix any inefficiencies, however small (they do add up!). Don’t make the mistake of cutting corners, thinking they will save you time and money; you want to go for workflows that can be improved for efficiency.
Start with a deep-dive audit of what’s already there, your existing workflows. Find the points where time is being wasted, or where colleagues are noticing and reporting repeated errors. Iron these out first, before thinking about introducing new processes.
Here’s a tip you can implement straight away: stop using tools that either overlap or make things more annoying for your employees. Let people have some autonomy, stop with unnecessary meetings that only serve the manager’s ego, and choose one or two company-approved means of communication. For example, email for the bigger things, and Slack for day-to-day messaging.
Resolution 2: Refine Branding So People Remember You
Consumers are bombarded with advertisements every single day. It doesn’t matter whether they’re checking an email, sending a message through WhatsApp, or doom scrolling social media. Someone is trying to sell them something.
That means you’re easy to forget, unless you have solid branding. It’s not just logos and colors, either. It’s so much more than that, with clear and consistent branding building trust faster than most ads.
We recommend tightening your message across all channels, your voice should be instantly recognizable. Your physical branding should be memorable, different, not a cookie-cutter generic approach. To reinforce brand recognition, use alternative strategies on top of standard digital, with print being an underused tool, for example.
Resolution 3: Invest in Technology That Solves Real Problems
Technology should remove friction, it’s designed to make things easier, but business owners often forget that. Let’s go with a personal life comparison: look at how much time you waste on your iPhone (like on social media, for example!), or how many unused apps you have taking up space, it tends to be far more than we’re comfortable admitting.
Companies work much the same way, with a lot of fluff that doesn’t really help achievement. In 2026, ditch the tech that’s getting in the way, and upgrade the quietly useful tools that are actually helping your business.
Ask employees what they use every day, and pay for the upgraded service to level up performance. Automate repetitive tasks where possible, investing in tools that help achieve this (setup should be easy here, not a whole new workflow). Train your teams to use a specific set of tools, and don’t overwhelm them with a new SaaS every week.
The main thing is to avoid buying software just for the sake of it. Don’t go for shiny new objects, but instead focus on what works on the ground. Ask your employees what would make life easier, don’t just dictate from above.
Resolution 4: Strengthen Customer Relationships, Not Just Sales
Sales numbers are important, but you shouldn’t make the mistake of being obsessed with just the bottom line. Instead of chasing numbers, look to solidify relationships with people. Ultimately, that will end up in more sales, which is exactly what you’re looking for. Long-term loyalty will pay year after year, far more than even a successful one-and-done campaign.
The first thing you want to do is improve the customer service experience. Have different ways that customers can use to contact you, don’t be the company with an email hidden deep within a Terms and Conditions page. Review customer touchpoints for friction or confusion, ensuring employees focus on the consumer, not the play-by-play script.
Next, focus on personalization. And yes, this is more than just using a token that enters [FirstName] in an email campaign. Instead, use algorithm-driven tools to provide personalized content, they’re far better than they were a few years ago.
Resolution 5: Plan for Long‑Term Sustainability, Not Short‑Term Wins
Sure, quick wins feel really good, and they will make you feel like those resolutions are working. And yes, 2026 is important, of course, but it’s still short-term thinking. For your business to continue beyond next year, focus on the next three years, going for a sustainable plan that’s realistic.
But businesses should be designed to last longer than that short period after the New Year. Think about it this way: it’s easy to go to the gym every morning for a few weeks, but are you really in it for the long-haul? Instead of focusing on the short-term, go for sustainability in everything you do.
Make a plan that builds in a financial buffer, allowing for a mistake or lower than expected sales. Don’t grow too quickly, but take opportunities when they do come. Finally, review suppliers and operational dependencies, reducing waste where possible. It’s about being smart, not overly cautious.
Conclusion: Progress Beats Promises
Good business resolutions should not be those grand announcements you see on LinkedIn from cringe-worthy managers or business owners (you know, the ones that end up becoming memes!). The good ones are built on attainable and deliberate growth, quietly implemented, but designed with purpose. Businesses that focus on efficiency and clear goals, these will outperform companies that do it for the Instagram clout or quick wins for the bottom line.
You want resolutions that have room for unexpected roadblocks, where progress still beats promises that will not stick. Make decisions that will still make sense twelve months later, not just for the sake of making would-be viral resolutions.