It’s Christmas week. The orders have shipped – or at least, most of them have. The mad rush is behind you. And hopefully, you’re either on a beach somewhere or at least within striking distance of a cold drink and a good book.

So today’s episode is a little different. This isn’t a tactical deep-dive. I’m not going to give you a framework or a checklist or an action plan. Instead, I just want to pause with you for a moment and reflect on what a year it’s been.

Because honestly? 2025 has been one of the strangest, most challenging, most thrilling and most transformative years I can remember in this industry. It’s felt long and hard – and yet somehow it’s also flown by. Does anyone else feel that weird time paradox, or is it just me?

I’ve spent more time this year learning and experimenting than I have in a long time. The advances in AI, the changes to how customers find and interact with brands online, the shifts in what’s working and what’s not – it’s been relentless. And I know you’ve felt it too.

So let’s take a breath together and look back at what actually happened this year. What changed, what we learned, and where we’re heading. Consider this a quiet moment before we close out the year.