Founder Goal Setting for a Successful 2026

Honest Conversations, Hard‑Won Lessons, and the Stuff Founders Usually Say After The Call Ends...

To kick off our NEXUS 2026 Masterclass Series, we were delighted to welcome 3 amazing Founders who all had unique, yet unifying messages to share about how they approach goal-setting for a successful, impactful year!

We were joined by Darren Crowder, founder of Enbodie, a platform focused on helping people build healthier relationships with their bodies and wellbeing through coaching, movement, and behaviour change; 

CeCe Sammy-Lightfoot, a community builder and commercial leader working at the intersection of people, purpose, and growth, with deep experience scaling teams, partnerships, and mission-led organisations;

and Kimberly Dickson, founder of HyperTribe, a company helping brands and communities grow through meaningful connection, culture, and engagement.

Between them, they are navigating early traction, revenue pressure, community building, team growth, and the emotional weight that comes with leadership. What made this NEXUS session powerful wasn’t theory or hype, but lived experience shared honestly, in real time, through the lens of what it actually takes to build something that lasts.

The bottom line? It was a real founder chat!

People building companies, but also juggling ambition and anxiety. Balancing vision with the very real pressure of payroll, sales, investors, and self‑doubt. Laughing about the chaos one minute, admitting how heavy it can feel the next.

What came through most wasn’t tactics or frameworks, it was relief. Relief that other founders are dealing with the same stuff. Relief that you don’t have to have it all figured out. Relief that progress often looks messier than LinkedIn suggests.

This is that conversation, that we've turned into a blog feature.

We hope you find the tips and tactics useful and enjoy the topics we discussed,

Let's go!

Jonny - Head of Community - NEXUS

“Before Goals… What Do You Actually Need Right Now?”

One of the first things that landed in the room was how rarely founders stop to separate want from need.

We all want scale. Impact. Big outcomes. Optionality.

But one major insight was when Kimberly shared that her biggest turning point came when she stopped asking “Where do I want this business to be?” and instead asked:

“What does this business actually need from me in the next 30–60 days?”

That shift changed everything.

Instead of chasing ideas that sounded exciting, she focused on the unglamorous but necessary work, such as tightening the offer, talking to customers, fixing the parts of the business that were quietly leaking energy and cash.

The mood in the room was instant recognition. We’ve all been there.

The takeaway: vision keeps you inspired, but needs keep you alive.

The Moment Everyone Agreed: “Let’s Stop Pretending the Deck Is the Business”

There was a shared laugh when the conversation turned to pitch decks.

Big numbers. Huge markets. Beautiful slides.

And yet, Darren summed it up perfectly:

“If the story sounds great but customers don’t care, none of it matters.”

Because founders who are making real progress aren’t obsessing over narratives, they're obsessing over users.

Top tips covered, were the importance of staying close to customers, shipping early, doing things manually at first, and letting real behaviour shape decisions instead of assumptions.

One line that stuck:

“If someone can’t explain why what you’re doing matters in plain English, the goal isn’t ready yet.”

Sales: The Least Sexy, Most Liberating Part of the Job

No one pretended sales was fun.

But everyone agreed it was freeing.

CeCe admitted that almost all of their stress reduced once revenue started coming in consistently, and not because the business was ‘safe’, but because reality replaced uncertainty.

Sales clarified priorities. Sales sharpened conversations with investors. Sales stopped endless internal debates.

Darren said it plainly:

“Until you’re doing real revenue, almost every goal should point towards selling something.”

Not followers. Not interest. Not vague traction.

Just proof that someone values what you’re building enough to pay for it.

Why Weekly Progress Beats Quarterly Fantasy

Quarterly plans came up...and so did the collective eye‑roll.

Not because planning is bad, but because startups don’t behave politely.

What did resonate was working in weeks.

What are you actually doing this week?

Who are you talking to?

What will move the needle by Friday?

One founder shared how this weekly mindset stopped overwhelm. Big goals stopped feeling heavy once they were broken down into very human chunks of work.

Progress became visible again.

“De‑Risking Isn’t Boring... It’s Peace of Mind”

When the conversation shifted to competition and AI, the tone changed slightly.

There was honesty here.

Things move fast. Copycats appear quickly. Noise is everywhere.

But instead of panic, the founders who felt calm talked about de‑risking.

Not in a corporate way, in a sleep‑better‑at‑night way.

Knowing your customer deeply. Building relationships others can’t replicate. Having more than one path forward.

Kimberly admitted their anxiety dropped once they stopped chasing hype and focused on what made their business genuinely harder to replace.

Teams Aren’t Static, and That’s Okay

No one pretended startup teams are neat or stable.

People join. People leave. Roles stretch and evolve.

The healthiest teams, according to the group, were built on honesty rather than false certainty.

Clear values. Open conversations. Flexibility.

There was also a gentle warning about building everything with short‑term freelancers...speed is great, but context and commitment matter more over time.

One of the quotes that we felt really stood out was...

“I don’t need perfect. I need people who care.”

Let's Talk About Founder Mental Health

This is where the room slowed down.

Money pressure. Comparison. The feeling that the business is you.

Our founders spoke about panic moments, sleepless nights, and the constant internal dialogue of ‘Is this working?’

What helped wasn’t productivity hacks.

It was people.

Other founders. Honest conversations. Doing something unrelated to work that reminded them they’re human first.

One line landed hard:

“You can only do what you can do today, and that has to be enough.”

A few nods. No debate.

This was one of the most valuable and useful parts of our NEXUS Masterclass!

The Real Energy Founders Left With

No one walked away thinking they’d cracked the code.

But everyone left lighter.

Clearer on what mattered. Less attached to noise. More grounded in reality.

The shared message wasn’t hustle harder or dream bigger.

It was simpler than that:

Take the work seriously. Stay close to customers. Prioritise what brings clarity. Protect your energy. Talk to other founders.

You’re not behind.

You’re just building... the same way everyone else is.

And that’s exactly how it’s meant to feel.

We hope you enjoyed our January 2026 Masterclass Rundown and hope to see you at another one soon!