The essential guide for entrepreneurs in 2026.

I don’t know about you, but every December, I get a little sentimental. Maybe it’s the slower pace. Maybe it’s the year finally catching up to me. It might also be because it is my birthday month.

Or maybe it’s the permission we all secretly give ourselves to pause and take a breath.

2025 was…a lot.

Beautiful. Stretching. Messy. Clarifying.

A reminder that growth doesn’t always look like the moodboard version we imagine – but it still counts.

As I wrap up 2025, I wanted to share 3 things I’m taking with me into 2026. Maybe you’ll see yourself in them, too.

1️⃣ When the going gets tough, keep pushing harder.

This year was tough in business (not on the content creation side of things, that part is as abundant as ever).

Not in a “burn everything down” way, but in a “you’re being reshaped and you don’t even know it yet” kind of way.

There were moments where growth felt slow…where decisions felt heavy…where we questioned what direction to take next.

But looking back, those were the exact moments that brought the biggest breakthroughs.

We gained crystal clear clarity on:

• Who we serve
• Why we serve them
• And why the work we do matters now more than ever

Especially in a world where so many people are exhausted by the traditional job market, frustrated by instability, and craving a path that gives them freedom, fulfillment, and possibility.

Every tough moment this year pushed us closer to that clarity – and I’m walking into 2026 with that momentum.

2️⃣ Do things scared

This one is personal.

I was terrified of how having a baby would change my life – my routines, my work, my identity, my freedom.

Everyone has an opinion when you’re pregnant. Everyone has a prediction. Everyone has a warning.

But no one – no one – tells you how unbelievably rich your life becomes.

How your heart expands in ways you cannot articulate.

How you learn to trust yourself in a deeper, anchored way.

How joy becomes both softer and louder at the same time.

Was I scared? Absolutely.

Did fear get to decide? Absolutely not.

And that choice changed everything.

3️⃣ It’s not cringey to try

This year, we launched something brand new: two separate Substack accounts.

Trying something new, especially publicly, is vulnerable.

You’re essentially saying: “Here I am, doing something I’ve never done before… and you get to watch me figure it out!”

But here’s what I realized.

Doing things imperfectly is not embarrassing.

Showing up is not embarrassing.

Starting small is not embarrassing.

What is embarrassing?

Letting your dreams sit on the back burner because you’re afraid someone might think you’re trying too hard.

This Newsletter has been one of the most unexpectedly joyful things we’ve done this year.

Learning in real time.

Connecting in a different way.

Letting myself be a beginner again.

I’m bringing that energy into 2026, and I hope you do, too!

If one of your intentions for 2026 is to finally take your creator journey seriously – not just in your head or in your camera roll, but for real – I’d love to support you.

The Creator Launchpad Crash Course is open now: a 7-day, no-fluff beginner-friendly program that helps you set up your profile, build your creator identity, and launch your first 14 days of content and confidence for only $29.

No pressure, no hype – just a supportive space to start strong.

If it feels aligned, you can join us here.

Chase those dreams,

Catarina