What to Audit in Your Business at the End of the Year
December sneaks up fast. You’re trying to wrap up projects, stay present with your family, and still make sense of everything your business went through this year. It’s a lot.
This is usually when I like to slow down and look at what’s actually happening behind the scenes. Not a full overhaul. Just a practical audit so you walk into the new year feeling a little more grounded and a little less overwhelmed.
Take your time with this. You can go through it in one afternoon or spread it out over a few days. Whatever feels right.
1- Look at your Services
Start here because things change during the year without us even noticing. Maybe you added something new. Maybe a service drained you more than it helped.
Ask yourself:
• What brought in the best clients?
• What felt too time-consuming?
• What do you actually enjoy doing?
• What doesn’t fit your goals anymore?
If something feels unclear or outdated, make a note to refresh it.
Don’t miss a thing,
Join our newsletter!
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
2. Review Your Client Experience
Walk through your process like a client would.
Think about:
• How someone contacts you
• How long they wait for a response
• Whether your emails make sense
• How easy it is for them to book
• What happens after they sign
You don’t need to fix everything. But if you notice a step that feels messy or slow, it’s probably slowing you down too.
3. Clean Up Your CRM
Dubsado, HoneyBook—whichever one you use—tends to collect a lot of old stuff.
Look inside and see if you can tidy up:
• Templates you don’t use anymore
• Emails that don’t sound like you
• Workflows that need updating
• Old contracts
• Outdated questionnaires
Even a quick cleanup makes your day-to-day work smoother.
4. Review Your Workflows
Think about how each service moved through your business this year. Where did things stall? What did you repeat over and over?
A few questions to ask:
• What step took the longest?
• What would make things feel easier?
• What can be automated so you don’t touch it again?
You don’t have to be perfect here. Just be honest about what feels heavy.
5. Update Your Website
Your website probably doesn’t reflect all the growth you had this year. It happens to everyone.
Check things like:
• Your homepage message
• Your service descriptions
• Portfolio photos
• Buttons and links
• Outdated language
A few small updates can make it feel more aligned with who you are now.
6. Check Your Tools and Subscriptions
It’s easy to sign up for tools and forget about them. December is a good time to look at what you’re paying for.
Ask:
• What did I actually use?
• What can I cancel?
• What needs upgrading?
• What can I replace with something simpler?
This part alone can save you money going into the new year.
7. Review How You Handle Money
Not taxes—just the everyday flow.
Look at:
• How you track expenses
• Your invoicing process
• When clients pay
• Policies that need to be clearer
A few tweaks now make tax season less stressful later.
8. Clean Up Your Files
Your digital world needs attention too.
Review:
• Google Drive or Dropbox organization
• Old documents
• Duplicate files
• Random screenshots
• Notes that no longer matter
You don’t need to empty everything. Just make space where you can.
9. Check In With Yourself
This one matters more than any workflow.
Ask yourself:
• What made things feel heavy this year?
• What helped you feel in control?
• What drained you?
• What do you want more of next year?
This helps you make decisions based on how you want to feel, not just what you think you “should” do.
10. Choose a Few Simple Updates for 2026
Now that you’ve reviewed everything, pick a few things to adjust. Not ten. Not twenty. Just a few.
Maybe it’s:
• Cleaning up one workflow
• Updating three emails
• Refreshing your services page
• Removing tools you don’t need
• Simplifying your onboarding
Small steps add up fast.
Final Thoughts
A year-end audit isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about giving yourself a clear starting point so the new year feels lighter.
If you need help reviewing your systems or getting your CRM ready for 2026, I’m here. Sometimes having someone look at your process with fresh eyes makes the whole thing easier to manage.
I hope you enjoyed it,
keysi
