For as long as I can remember, I’ve told myself the same thing every December:
“This Christmas, I’ll properly switch off. I’ll rest, recharge, and come back with a clearer head… and maybe even a clearer diary.”
This year, I had a brilliant plan.
Two full weeks off. Family time. A bit of Mediterranean sun. Then I’d ease myself back in on Friday 2nd January — just me, my notebook, and some uninterrupted thinking time before the rest of the team returned on Monday 5th.
What could possibly go wrong?
Well… it all started swimmingly.
Christmas to New Year was pretty much perfect. Great time with family and friends. Sun. Laughter. Relaxation. Then, on New Year’s Eve, I ate a dodgy oyster.
I’ll spare you the graphic detail, but let’s just say Friday 2nd January was spent horizontal on a sofa back in the UK, feeling significantly less “strategic” than planned. My well-laid plans for planning were completely scuppered.
And then — bang — we hit warp speed.
The first full week back as a team flew past, and things haven’t slowed down since. If you’re reading this thinking, “Yep, same here”, I’m fairly confident we’re not alone.
So the real question is: when the year comes at you fast, how do you deal with it without just becoming busy instead of effective?
Here’s how we’re approaching it.
- Ruthless prioritisation (the good kind)
When everything feels important, nothing is.
We’ve stepped back and asked: what are the things that will genuinely make the biggest difference over the next 90 days? Not the noise. Not the “nice to haves”. The real needle-movers.
At TAB, we’re big believers in 90-day plans — and yes, we try very hard to practise what we preach. The question we’re working from is simple:
Where do we want to be by the end of March?
That clarity makes it much easier to focus time, energy, and attention where it actually counts.
- Deep engagement with our key stakeholders
For us, as the central TAB team, that starts with our franchisees.
We’re spending quality time supporting our incredible community, really getting under the skin of their plans for 2026, and making sure we’re there to help — practically, commercially, and strategically.
At the same time, we’re looking outward. TAB now operates in 25 countries, and one of the huge privileges of that is learning from peers around the world. We’re comparing notes, sharing ideas, and asking:
What are others doing that we can learn from — and adapt for the UK market?
There’s enormous value in lifting your head up and looking beyond your own four walls.
- Doing the same (and more) for our members
And of course, we’re applying the same thinking to the business owners we support month in, month out.
We’re encouraging and challenging our members on their own plans for 2026 — helping them move beyond vague intentions and into clear, actionable priorities.
Alongside that, we’re putting the finishing touches to our national UK event in June, open to all TAB members. The speaker line-up really is world-class, and the evening activities at a beautiful countryside property will be something special. More details soon — but trust me, it’s one worth having in the diary.
So yes… oysters aside, I’m hugely optimistic.
The pace is fast. The opportunities are real. And the work we get to do — supporting business owners to think better, decide better, and grow with confidence — has never felt more relevant.
Here’s to a brilliant 2026.
Bring it on.
Ed Reid
