As I wrap up 2024, I want to plan ahead. What do I want 2025 to look like for me and my family? Where do I want to focus? What do I want to accomplish?
Larger Impact
This year, I doubled down on video content. I love making it, and I’m comfortable on camera. I’ve seen my content positively impact people. In 2025, I want to see more of that. I plan to create content in the following areas for these reasons:
- Marketing Videos – Small business marketing is challenging to do well, and business leaders need guidance. Creating marketing videos will also help grow my consulting business and increase my family’s income.
- Self-Improvement Videos – I enjoy sharing what I’m learning and how I’m improving myself. Teaching others reinforces my own learning. I’m not claiming to have it all figured out—I’m just sharing the journey in hopes of helping someone else.
- TheDadStoic Content – This might be the first time I’m mentioning this publicly. TheDadStoic is a persona I created on TikTok and Instagram to share Stoic philosophy lessons I want my kids to know. I realize my kids may not listen to me about these topics, but maybe someone else’s child will benefit.
- Tech Talk Y’all – My podcast with my friend Sanjay about current tech news. We’ve been doing this podcast for a long time, but this was the first year we actively worked on growing it. We repurposed podcast content for social media, and some videos hit 100K views. In 2025, I want to continue growing the Tech Talk Y’all podcast and brand because it’s fun, and I love it.
I believe quality video content remains the best way for individuals and businesses to stand out.
Grow TogetherLetters
TogetherLetters is something I co-created with my friend Sanjay to help people stay connected outside of social media. Social media is so fragmented that we’ve lost touch with some of the people and communities we care about most. TogetherLetters offers a simple way to keep in touch through a collaborative group email newsletter.
Earlier this summer, we saw many new signups for TogetherLetters, even without marketing. That’s the dream for any software—organic growth. Since then, we’ve actively worked to grow the user base, and it’s going well. In 2025, I want TogetherLetters to triple in size, helping more people stay connected.
Make More Money
There. I said it. Everyone thinks about making more money, but few say it out loud. I have five kids—one in college and another about to start. Kids are expensive. Right now, the best way to do this is through marketing consulting and fractional CMO work. I love the work, and I’m good at it. I plan to do more of it in 2025, so if you know someone who needs marketing or website help, send them my way!
Create a Big Family Memory Every Quarter
Before COVID, we took family Christmas trips instead of giving major gifts. COVID, life, and our budget put those on hold. I want to return to that tradition. I also want to create other memorable family moments throughout the year.
These memories don’t have to be big trips—they could be a quick outing, climbing Stone Mountain on a hot day, or having a family game night with hot chocolate. As my kids grow, it’s painfully clear how quickly time slips away. It’s easy to spend Saturdays with everyone doing their own thing, but those moments aren’t memorable. I want to create meaningful family experiences in 2025.
Grow 48in48
48in48 is a nonprofit I co-founded with my friend Jeff in 2015. It enables volunteers to use their marketing skills for good by building 48 free nonprofit websites in 48 hours. This year, I transitioned from being Chair of the Board to part-time Executive Director when our previous ED moved on (and joined our Advisory Board).
In 2025, I want to help 48in48 grow by focusing on serving nonprofits’ broader marketing needs and increasing our earned revenue. If you know a nonprofit that needs a new website to better serve its community, send them our way!
Grow Edgewise
Edgewise is my podcast and content marketing agency with Sanjay. It blew up when podcasts were taking off in 2021 and 2022, and then slowed down with recession talk, the Presidential election, etc. We have a few great clients and do amazing work for them. I want to land two more enterprise clients in 2025, creating their podcast and using it to create a ton of social media content for them as well.
I know, that’s a lot! But the teams make it work.
This all may seem like too much, and sometimes it can feel that way. But, honestly, it’s not. I segment out my weeks, carving out time for each thing to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. I also have great teams that do the heavy lifting for both Edgewise and 48in48. On top of all that, I have someone who edits and posts my video content for me, so I just have to record it and hand it over. Great teams in each area make everything I do possible.
And… one secret project
Fall of 2025 I plan to dive into a bit of a new project. I’m not ready to talk about it just yet, but it should be interesting. More on this at a later date…