Finding Peace in the Year-End Chaos: A Love Letter to Messy Growth

Dear wonderful humans of the start-up world,

It's 3 AM on a Thursday (now Friday, I suppose), and I'm writing this newsletter from my couch, wrapped in my oldest, most embarrassingly comfortable blanket. There's half a mince pie on my coffee table, and I've just had a profound realization about leadership that I simply have to share. (Isn't it funny how clarity often comes when we're in our most unglamorous moments? 😅)

You see, I spent today (yesterday?) in back-to-back calls with founders who are all asking variations of the same question: "How do I wrap up this year perfectly?"

Oh, my sweet, ambitious friends. Let me tell you what I wish someone had told me years ago: There is no such thing as a perfect year-end, and that's actually the most beautiful gift we could give ourselves right now.

The Truth About December Leadership

You know what's really wild? While we're all frantically trying to:

- Complete those Q4 objectives

- Nail down 2025 strategies

- Figure out team bonuses

- Plan "perfect" holiday celebrations

- Navigate the emotional dynamics of a tired team

our teams are actually watching how we handle being imperfect humans.

I had a founder break down in my Zoom room yesterday (sending you a virtual hug if you're reading this, you wonderful human!). She was devastated because her carefully crafted scaling plan had hit several snags, and she felt she was "failing everyone."

But when we dug deeper, you know what we discovered? Her team wasn't disappointed in the plan's imperfection - they were grateful for her transparency about the challenges. The real magic wasn't in the strategy at all; it was in the vulnerability she showed while navigating the mess.

A Different Kind of Holiday Wish

So here's my slightly unconventional wish for you this holiday season:

May your end-of-year reviews be wonderfully imperfect.

May your 2025 strategy have room for human moments.

May your team meetings include genuine laughter about the things that went sideways.

And may you find peace in knowing that your worth isn't measured by your strategic perfection.

The Gift We Really Need

As we approach the final days of 2024, I'm proposing something radical: What if we celebrated our messy growth instead of our polished achievements?

I'll start:

- I completely bombed a client presentation because I was trying to be "professional" instead of authentic

- I had to rewrite our Q3 hiring strategy three times because I kept overthinking it

- I ugly-cried in my car after a particularly challenging founder session

- AND... all of these "failures" led to deeper connections and better solutions

Your Permission Slip

Consider this your official permission slip to:

- Leave some 2024 goals unfinished

- Take a proper break (yes, really!)

- Let your team see your human side

- Celebrate the growth that came from the struggles

A Cosy Invitation

Next week, in our final newsletter of 2024, we'll talk about setting gentle, human-centred intentions for 2025. But for now, I'd love to hear about your messy victories of 2024. What "failure" taught you the most? What imperfection led to unexpected growth?

Drop me a message - I promise to read each one while enjoying another mince pie in your honour. 🥧

With warmth, authenticity, and slightly crumby keyboard,

Delia Bogues

P.S. If you're feeling overwhelmed by year-end everything, remember: You're not behind. You're exactly where you need to be. And if you need someone to remind you of that again, my virtual door is always open. 🚪✨