December Monthly Roundup
Ending the year on a high with gratitude, reflection, and much more!
The festive season is fast approaching in the UK. From Christmas markets to Lindsay Lohan movies and Starbucks Eggnog Lattes, it is starting to feel a lot like Christmas.
As we welcome the month of December, it is time to take a moment to reflect on the year gone by and set intentions for the year ahead. For female founders, this is a time to celebrate your growth, the challenges you've overcome, and to make plans for 2025 with clarity and ambition.
This month's newsletter is all about reflection, forward planning, and celebrating incredible women who are building businesses with purpose and impact. Plus, don’t miss our book of the month, designed to fuel your entrepreneurial spirit as you wind down and recharge for the year ahead.
PS: As always, if you think this newsletter could be helpful to another founder in your network, please share this publication with them! We love a growing, supportive community 🙏🏼
🚀 Reflect & Plan: Your 2025 Business Roadmap
As we close out 2024, it’s time to reflect on your journey as a business owner. What have been your wins? Which challenges have made you stronger? And what areas can you grow in the coming year?
Reflection
Before diving into future plans, spend some time looking back at the past year. Take stock of what worked well and what didn’t. Consider these key questions:
What milestones did you hit this year?
What did you learn from your mistakes?
Where did you experience the most growth?
Which areas need improvement?
Planning for 2025
Once you've reflected on your experiences, it's time to turn your attention to the future. Set clear, actionable goals for the year ahead. Whether it’s expanding your product line, scaling operations, or improving work-life balance, consider the following:
Strategic Goals: What are the big-picture objectives for your business in 2025? Think about growth areas or new ventures you want to explore.
Revenue & Financial Planning: Set your financial goals—how much do you want to earn, and what steps will you take to get there?
Personal Development: As a leader, investing in your growth is vital. What skills or knowledge do you want to develop?
Team Building & Collaboration: How will you nurture your existing team or expand it in a meaningful way?
🌍 Spotlight: Women Building Incredible Businesses
Founder: Marcia Kilgore
Businesses: Beauty Pie, Fit Flop, Bliss,….
Marcia Kilgore, a serial entrepreneur, has recently revolutionized the beauty industry with Beauty Pie, a luxury beauty buyers' club. By cutting out traditional retail markups, she offers high-quality products at factory prices. Her innovative subscription model disrupted an industry traditionally resistant to change.
Our takeaways from Marcia:
Identify Market Gaps: Marcia recognized the hidden costs in traditional beauty retail and turned that inefficiency into an opportunity. Look for untapped niches or overlooked pain points in your industry.Customer-Centric Innovation: Beauty Pie's model directly addresses customer frustrations with high markups. Prioritizing real customer needs over trends creates lasting loyalty.
Resilience and Evolution: Marcia’s entrepreneurial journey highlights the value of adaptability. Her ability to navigate challenges and pivot across ventures like Bliss and Soap & Glory demonstrates that growth often comes from embracing change and learning from every experience.
"I have never brainstormed, as such, but rather, since my early 20s, been struck by gaps in affordable and democratic product offerings that deliver what I believe ‘women want’. I’m aided, obviously, by the fact that I am one. ”
📚 Book of the Month: Getting Past NO, by William Ury
William Ury’s "Getting Past No" is a masterclass in negotiation, teaching how to transform confrontation into cooperation. It’s especially valuable for female founders navigating partnerships, funding, or client relationships.
Our favourite takeaways
Don’t React—Stay Calm:
When faced with resistance, avoid reacting emotionally. Instead, step back, assess the situation, and approach it with a clear mind. Staying calm can shift the dynamic in your favor.Understand Their Perspective:
Seek to understand the other party’s motivations and concerns. This not only builds trust but helps identify common ground, making solutions more achievable.Reframe the Conversation:
Move from "positions" to "interests." Instead of focusing on rigid demands, address underlying needs. This opens up room for creative solutions.Build a Golden Bridge:
Make it easy for the other side to say yes by offering solutions that meet their needs while staying true to your goals. Presenting outcomes as win-win ensures smoother agreements.Use the Power of Silence:
Sometimes, the most powerful negotiation tool is silence. Pausing can prompt the other party to reconsider their stance or reveal valuable information.
Wishing you a season filled with inspiration and momentum. Let's conquer 2025 together!
✨ Stay Bold, Stay Resilient, Stay You.
Until next time,
Nareen Sidhu
Team Inspirele
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