Hey all,
Happy first Sunday of 2026.
There’s a lot I could say to you about marketing.
We could walk through how you’re deploying Q1 capital, reigniting momentum after the holiday, launching new year campaigns, and executing on what you committed to in your operating plan.
We’ll get there (you know I’d never leave you hanging).
But that’s not where my mind is today.
And truthfully, that isn’t the best use of your time right now.
Before you sprint, you need to remember why you’re building and who you are becoming as you add blocks.
If you aren’t grateful for where you’re at, the journey is a waste.
Give yourself 5 minutes focused on gratitude to fuel your momentum as you set out to dominate this year.
Five minutes to zoom out.
Five minutes to remember what you’ve built.
Five minutes to anchor into the energy you’re carrying into 2026.
Today’s newsletter will:
Make your life better
Make your work better
Make your customers happier
Grab a pen/paper or open your notes app.
Let’s begin.
You Always Have More Than You Think
In fact, you have 365 days more under your belt.
It’s so easy to look at the glass half-full. Builders fall into this challenge all the time. I know people who have graduated from top universities, with top jobs, incredible friends and family, and yet, they are still searching for more.
There’s no problem with that. In fact, it’s part of the builder personality archetype.
But, for the next five minutes, let’s focus on what we do have.
Because you’ve built a lot. From scratch. To get to exactly where you are right now.
That’s a gift.
So walk through it:
Where were you 1 year ago in your career?
Where were you 1 year ago in your personal life?
What looks 100% different now?
What skills do you have now that you didn’t have one year ago?
Name one thing that you aggressively shed that allowed you to make room for what you’re excited about this year?
Imagine that you can travel back to exactly one year ago, January 4th, 2025, and stand right next to yourself.
What would you say?
You would have more compassion for what challenges you’re going to face this coming year. You would have more respect for yourself after deciding certain people no longer fit in your life. You will have more patience because you know you’ll keep moving forward.
You always have more than you think.
And now, you have an entire year of “more” that you’re bringing into this entirely new journey.
My answers, feel free to send me yours:
Where were you 1 year ago in your career?
Me: Working as Head of Marketing at Citizen, just raised Series C from Axon
Me: Wanting to take the risk of starting my own company again
Where were you 1 year ago in your personal life?
Me: Just signed a lease in NYC, was prepping to leave Austin. I lived close to my brother in ATX, and leaving the same city as him, my only sibling, was harder than I would have ever imagined.
What looks 100% different now?
Me: I am running my own company, Knight Vision, working with dream entrepreneurs and brands on marketing.
Me: I’m still testing and learning. I walked in with a model for KV, and now it looks completely different.
Me: My safe spaces and safe people. So many new ones. A few big ones lost.
What skills do you have now that you didn’t have one year ago?
Me: More patience with myself when I’m having bad days. These days happen!
Name one thing that you aggressively shed that allowed you to make room for what you’re excited about this year?
Me: The perspective that things have to be immediate. Still working on this!
Decision-Making Evolves
How you make decisions has, without question, evolved from last year.
You now have more information.
Your ability to make decisions quickly and with conviction is one of the most powerful engines in your confidence.
And last year, you put that engine through four full quarters of pressure testing.
Twelve months of tradeoffs.
Fifty-two weeks of judgment calls.
365 days where you had to choose a direction, even when the answer wasn’t obvious.
You took all previous years of experience and used it as leverage to make better choices this past year.
And, guess what?
Lucky YOU.
You can now take all 365 days of decisions and use them to make more informed decisions in 2026.
Did you make any critical decisions?
Did you make any critical mistakes?
If you could relive one hard moment, what would you do differently? How can you use this to inform you now?
Where did you act from courage, even when there were no guarantees? What did that give you?
Which one belief about yourself did you totally negate this year? This belief no longer deserves to come with me into 2026 bc it’s false!
All answers are assets.
Cherish this moment.
Be proud of the decisions you made.
Because, as you saw when you reflected back to one year ago, you’re going to evolve out of yourself and into someone totally new.
Why You’re Building in the First Place
If your answer is to build an incredible company, I challenge you to look deeper within yourself.
If your answer to “why you’re building in the first place” centers on ego, like “I want to prove myself to X person” – that’s okay.
The entire point of this exercise is to be honest with yourself.
When you uncover what your true motivations are, you can use them to accelerate momentum.
Because once you understand what’s actually driving you, you can work with it instead of pretending it isn’t there.
And guess what, if you don’t like your answer (even if it’s true to yourself, example, the above being ego-driven), you can spend time experimenting with new motivators this year.
Create a purpose-driven mission
Become more independent
Bring people closer together
Make the world a better place
Provide for your family
If you realize, you have moved through different relationships, jobs, hobbies, and even friends.
You’re allowed to try on parts of life.
Motivators work the same way. You’re allowed to experiment with what drives you, to see what fits and what doesn’t.
If this felt like the year of nonstop mishaps or challenges or shedding, you’re still standing.
Well, How’d I Do?
It just so happens to be my birthday tomorrow.
There are moments and times and experiences I have that make me question why we do all of this.
Then, there are people and places and bursts of energy that show me all the reasons.
If you read this newsletter, you’re undoubtedly interested in building a better future.
Thank you for being part of my present.
I am so excited to be on this journey with you!
Julia
