Did you see everything I posted this year? Of course you didn’t. Algorithms are inconsistent at best, and there’s no way I’m out-ranking a drunk raccoon. 

But I have plopped a lot of commentary on the socials this year. In the final throes of the “holiday season,” I’ve decided to bypass Drunk Uncle Algo and collect some highlights that may have escaped the attention of even committed midnight doomscrollers. 

Goodbye, 2025. I’m not going to blow some smoke about “the learnings.” You were a real jerk and you can enjoy the deepest recesses of a crushing black hole sun. But at least I left some amusing artifacts on your internet. 

My book launch (with a side of car accidents)
Ah, entrepreneurship -- the highest highs and lowest lows in under an hour, followed by a lawsuit. Not only was I part of a book launch that reached number one international bestseller status in several countries, but I was also in a car accident and my car got totaled. But I gathered myself to make some videos for my editor before I went to the ER.

This week marks the 9th anniversary of my S-corp
Ten years ago, I was pregnant with my kiddo and learning I wouldn’t get adequate maternity leave from my venture-backed COO job. So, I left and started my company at 7 months pregnant. And then I shocked my rude tax accountant by correctly setting up my own S-corp. (He has since been replaced.)

I have a confession: I was a pain in the ass as an employee.
Raise your hand if you have suspected this all along. I wasn't okay with "best practices" that were fine but not great. I chafed against mediocre strategies that would ultimately lead to revenue declines and layoffs. I couldn't “go along to get along.” This post is about a founder podcast I love, Say More, which has recently returned with some excellent new episodes. 

I usually quiet quit vendors who aren't performing, but…
…you guys, I’m still dealing with this one. While waiting many hours on hold, I posted about a QSEHRA vendor that cancelled my client’s QSEHRA six weeks early, deleted all the related reimbursement files, forced us to use an AI chatbot with wrong information, sent me in circles with an offshore support team that could only tell me that no accounts existed, and provided a benefits manager "hotline" that hung up on me. May the 2025 black hole have the gravity to take this QSEHRA with it.

I'm taking a moment to celebrate my 10th anniversary in business.
The thing I'm most proud of: making every single payroll. If you need some inspiration, check out the comments on this post, with lots of celebrations from other entrepreneurs. 

You should follow me on Threads, I post a lot
I left Twitter in 2017, but I’ve missed the real-time commentary. I jumped on Threads in 2024 to promote our self-insured health insurance event and, well, let’s say this is where I violate the most of our corporate content standards. A recent example: “The airport just paged ‘Leroy Hawkins’ back to the gate and it took all my powers not to call back ‘Leeroooooooy Jenkins!’ Apologies to Leroy. Also, Burbank Airport, you’re drunk if you think I’m paying $22 for a Guy Fieri-designed turkey sandwich.” In hindsight, I should have anticipated the depth of feeling about a Food Network dude before I left the comments open.

2026 Health Insurance Guide for Self-Employed & Small Business Owners
Unless you’re in Idaho, yes, you still have time to revise your 2026 health insurance selections. Just in case Congress does something useful before January 15, keep this guide handy. 

How to save for retirement when you’re self-employed
I post more personal finance stuff, because while this isn’t a personal finance newsletter…wow, there’s a lot of ill-formed money advice on social. I reference this article the most. If one of your business goals is to build personal wealth, a small business retirement plan should be near the top of your list. You may be able to save tens of thousands of dollars each year, tax-free.

Is your team entitled to paid time off?
Before you adjust wages, evaluate your mandatory and voluntary paid time off and leave policies. Like a Chipotle bowl in an inflationary economy, you might be paying the same but getting less. If your team has fewer work days for the same pay, it may impact your ability or willingness to increase wages.

Should you hire your kids?
I just wanted to write about Beyoncé’s during the Cowboy Carter tour. But she did get all the kids on the payroll. If you have a family business, it’s a time-honored tradition to give the kids some experience. But how do you do it the smart way? 

Best wishes for a healthy, prosperous, and personally fulfilling 2026. 

It’s December 31. Please tell me you (checks the end-of-year checklist) opened and funded a 401(k) retirement account, ran your final payrolls, and locked in your qualified expense deductions. And yes, this deadline matters -- here’s why.

Some January dates to know:

• January 1: 

  • Lots of states and cities will increase their minimum wages. While you check compliance for hourly employees, keep in mind that exempt salaried employees can become overtime-eligible when rates change. A quick check -- multiply your new local minimum wage by 4,160 (2,080 hours per year and double the minimum wage). 

  • Colorado and Delaware have updated paid family leave laws. 

  • California enacts a slew of AI-related laws, including notification if your content or chat agent is AI-generated. 

• January 15: 

  • Healthcare.gov late enrollment deadline on eligible state exchanges. Should Congress return on January 3 with newfound motivation to address health insurance affordability, you might have time to switch up your plan selections for February 1. Here’s where things stood on December 26. 

  • Q4 estimated income taxes are due for all who achieved profits.

• January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday 

• February 2: 1099s and W-2s must be filed; state sales taxes are due (extended from January 31, which falls on a weekend)

Instacart has quietly backed away from AI-driven pricing tests after facing backlash from customers and lawmakers. The company says the tests “missed the mark,” which is a polite way of saying they pissed off the wrong Mom group chat. Just because you can optimize individual prices with algorithms doesn’t mean you should. And PS, tomorrow, this will be illegal in California.

Writers gonna write, even if it’s about four generations of dogs. I was gifted Susan Orlean’s memoir Joyride and devoured it before the wrapping paper hit the recycling truck. If you enjoy tips on becoming a better writer, quirky stories, public libraries, lists, or the movie Adaptation, I highly recommend this book

Game night might make you a better risk-taker. You may recall it was recently my birthday and we got into some UNO. The non-UNO folks say my table was a little rowdy, but when you learn that some houses allow stacked Draw Twos, how are you supposed to be? Playing strategy games is a tried-and-true way to increase your comfort with risk. And that’s why I’m gifting you Bloomberg Businessweek’s recent long read on which games are best for becoming a better manager, financial risk-taker, and strategist. But mostly, I want you to find out which mild-mannered soccer parent friends turn into maniacs when they’re out past 9:30.