2026 Goals, Quarterly Planning, and Building a Life-First Publishing Business {ep. 200}

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Alexa celebrates the 200th episode of Alexa’s Publishing Chat and kicks off 2026 with a candid, energetic “new year, new goals” solo episode. She shares what 2025 taught her (including big wins, real challenges, and a shift away from chasing “balance”), then walks listeners through her favorite quarterly goal-mapping method using a four-quadrant sheet. Along the way, she spotlights what’s coming up for the Women in Publishing ecosystem—virtual Summit, in-person Columbia event, Paris writing retreat—and invites authors and publishing professionals to plan the year with intention, milestones, and support.

In this episode, Alexa discusses:

Celebrating Episode 200 and why she didn’t do a highlight reel (because: real life + real business)
Starting 2026 after a longer break and why rest is productive
Identity, ambition, and dropping the guilt (including “I’m not listing ‘mom’ first”)
What 2025 brought: wins, challenges, and why it felt like “a beast”
Why goals matter: if you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t get there
The difference between vague goals and milestones + timelines
SMART goals (and Alexa’s honest “I always forget the R” moment)
Alexa’s four-quadrant quarterly planning system (Q1–Q4 on a big sticky note)
Adding categories: professional, personal, travel/conferences
Mapping “money seasons” by shading a revenue pie in the center
Using quarterly planning to avoid crunch-time chaos (especially for book launches)
Real talk: there’s no perfect “balance”—instead, plan in seasons of focus
How health crises can reshape priorities (presence, family time, living fully)
2026 as a “YOLO year” with major travel—and how she’s staffing/systems-building to make it possible
Thoughts on business investment and debt, and planning ahead for expenses
Kickstarter curiosity: where it fits, who it’s best for, and why it’s powerful for established audiences
What Alexa is building in 2026: WIP Society growth, bootcamps, events, and simplifying the sales calendar
A new entrepreneurship-focused podcast project with a community member (Nicole)
Better Self Book Club: why it’s meaningful, and the realities of running it (hello, Kajabi fees)
Teaching entrepreneurship at the University of South Carolina and what that unlocks long-term
Final encouragement: make your goals sheet, evaluate quarterly, and focus on the most-of-what-works

Alexa Bigwarfe

Alexa Bigwarfe is the host of Alexa’s Publishing Chat and a publishing entrepreneur, author, speaker, and community builder. She supports authors and publishing professionals through education, events, and community programming, including the Women in Publishing Summit and WIP Society. Known for her practical, encouraging approach, Alexa helps creatives build sustainable careers—and reminds them they don’t have to do it alone.