# 457 2026: A New Year with New Intentions

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/457-2026-a-new-year-with-new-intentions
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746/457-2026-a-new-year-with-new-intentions.md
Podcast: [Scaling UP! H2O](https://stenobird.com/podcast/scaling-up-h2o-7746)
Published: 2026-01-02T06:00:45+00:00
Episode link: https://scalinguph2o.com/2026/01/02/457-12-week-year-planning-for-water-treaters/
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/scalingup/Scaling_Up_H2O_-_457_-_First_Show_of_2026_v3.mp3?dest-id=797464
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/scaling-up-h2o-7746/episodes/457-2026-a-new-year-with-new-intentions
Duration seconds: 3636

## Resource

Trace Blackmore opens 2026 with a practical reset: how to plan with urgency, sharpen the fundamentals that make troubleshooting easier, and use the tools around this podcast to keep your development moving all year. The 12-Week Year: urgency you can use Annual goals often feel "far away" until December forces focus. The 12-week year flips that dynamic by treating each quarter like a year—creating urgency sooner and giving you four chances to reset and improve. Trace walks through the structure: start with a vision (he uses a three-year example), then choose 3–5 tactical goals for the next 12 weeks, so you don't overload and quit. He also ties it to a water treatment reality: quarterly customer touchpoints are simply more productive than an annual "re-introduce everything" meeting. Trace points listeners to planning support and easy on-ramps: the book link: ScalingUpH2O.com/12weekyear the planning guide PDF: ScalingUpH2O.com/12weekyearplan and an Audible option (free month + free book mentioned in the transcript). Mailbag: how the show is made—and what's changing A listener asks how an episode goes from spark to air. Trace lays out the workflow: idea sourcing, research and pre-production, guest outreach, scheduling, outline creation, recording discipline, post-production with audio engineer Sean, then show notes, graphics, social posts, scheduling, and promotion. He also shares a key quality upgrade: guests now receive equipment prerequisites (including budget-friendly mic options) because the Scaling Up Nation can hear the difference. On what's new for 2026, Trace shares a major personal commitment: he's pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration , including research, data collection, and defending a thesis—with an intent to involve listeners through future survey…

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## Transcript

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