157. The Good, Bad, and Reality of Massive Business Expansion: My 2025 Reflections
Dec 30, 2025
There’s a version of growth we see online that looks clean, exciting, and effortless. And then there’s the kind of growth that actually changes your life.
2025 was a year of massive expansion for me, not just in business, but in identity, leadership, and capacity. And while so many incredible things unfolded, I want to talk honestly about what that kind of growth really requires.
Because it doesn’t happen by accident.
Growth Happens on Purpose
This year unfolded because I went into it with intention. I didn’t have every detail figured out, but I had a clear direction. I knew what I wanted to create, how I wanted to live, and the impact I felt called to make.
That clarity guided everything, from moving my family to Denver, to launching the Spiritual Business Incubator in a whole new way, to stepping fully into thought leadership through my book Create Your Aligned Business. None of it was random. Every milestone was built on a plan.
The Good: Seeing the Vision Come to Life
The most beautiful part of this year was watching long-held intentions become real. The incubator expanded. The community doubled. The book reached #1 in its category within 24 hours. Women came up to me in tears, sharing how the work helped them finally understand how to build a business that fits who they are.
That kind of impact is humbling. It’s affirming. And it’s deeply emotional in ways I didn’t fully expect.
The Hard: Expansion Is an Initiation
What we don’t talk about enough is that growth stretches you, emotionally, energetically, and structurally.
As the business expanded, the cracks became visible. Systems needed to evolve. Support was required. Leadership demanded more presence, clearer boundaries, and stronger decision-making. And there were moments where it felt overwhelming, not because I didn’t love the work, but because I cared so deeply about it.
Growth asks you to become someone new.
The Reality: Transformation Requires the Middle
Expansion follows the same pattern every time: breakdown before breakthrough. Like the butterfly dissolving inside the chrysalis, the old structure has to soften before the new one can form.
That middle space isn’t failure. It’s transformation.
If you’re feeling stretched, uncertain, or uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean you’re off track. It often means you’re right where growth is happening.
Key Takeaways
- Massive growth is intentional, not accidental
- Leadership requires capacity, not just ambition
- The uncomfortable middle is part of becoming who you’re meant to be
- You’re not meant to build alone — support matters
As we move into 2026, my invitation to you is simple: reflect honestly, choose intentionally, and trust that what you’re building is worth the work.
Because when you know you’re on the right path, nothing can stop you.
Resources:
Purchase my book here!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1966346050/
Get the Aligned Biz Quiz here!
https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hd-quiz
Ready to design your business around your Human Design?
Book a 1:1 Human Design for Business Reading:
www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdreading
Learn more about your Human Design with the 64 Gates Library
https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdlibrary
Get your personalized Entrepreneur by Design HD Report:
https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/business-report
Interactive Human Design Chart:
https://www.spiritualbusinessincubator.com/hdchart
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamannanichols
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Design Your Aligned Business PDF Guide:
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