You and I both know what it feels like when a “sense of hurry” drives everything.
I know it because there were seasons when I mistook urgency for business leadership.
That panic or pressure to solve today’s problem…knowing full well that tomorrow will just be the same thing.
It’s a scary place to be.
Which is why I’ve intentionally chosen not to go that route this year.
Instead, I’m opting-out of chaos-driven growth, both in business and life. This year, I choose to live steady and deep.
There is such a thing as enjoying building a business, serving your team and clients, and it being life-giving to your personal life.
Whether you’re leading a full-time business, raising kids, building a marriage, or simply living in this fast-paced, online society, I want you to know the principles of steady and deep can transform how you work, lead, and live.
In 2025, what I’m now calling the “year of rest”, was a leap of faith to take the foot off the gas, recalibrate my schedule and priorities, and trust that the work of 12 years would sustain us into our 13th year.
After 2024 ended as our “best year in business” on paper, yet felt the most underwhelming personally, I knew the target had to shift.
The pursuit of more was no longer my goal. I wanted less, but better.
⇾ Less volume, more depth.
⇾ Less work hours, more deep work.
⇾ Less surface level engagements, more strategic depth over the long-haul
⇾Less nights away from my family, more movie nights and rest with my clan
⇾ Less moving targets, more steady pursuit of the good things.
My definition of success changed.
And so in 2026, I’m taking what I’ve learned from last year and choosing to live a year of steady, faithful growth — fewer priorities, deeper focus, and excellence without urgency.
In Business
Choosing steady and deep changes everything about how you lead and grow your business.
Success looks different here.
It’s defined by your OWN goals, your values, your season of life and business, not from comparing yourself to others or chasing every new shiny object.
The founders living this are running their race, focused wholly on who they’re serving and how they’re getting there, and that alone, makes them attractive to others.
They understand that “busyness” and “hurry” are not badges of honor but a red flag of not being clear on the target they’re aiming at and being good at your “yes’s” and “no’s”.
These are the CEOs that leave us inspired and energized. They make us want to put our best foot forward, cheer them on, and generate further depth to their strategy to help them shine.
I see the same qualities in clients who’ve built businesses over the long-term, with 10+ years under their belts. These are the types of people we choose to work with because they:
They lead with their mission: They operate from confidence, knowing exactly what they bring to the table, and cultivate close-knit, connected teams, versus past clients who have come to us at an urgent pace that is burning out the team around them.
They follow-through: They have the stamina to see things through, rather than trying yet another “trick” or “strategy” with no idea how that outcome would be supported post launch, or even worse… gaining a client from that effort. No bueno.
They know the small things matter most: They celebrate wins while still anticipating future success, where rigidity in discipline doesn’t often allow for human moments.
With past clients who are no longer with us, it looked and sounded like saying things like “butts in seats”, “I need this project yesterday!” (after a 3pm call to turn around a game changing project for an acquisition within 24-hours, with little to no creative direction or details).
Steady and deep recognizes that work and play don’t detract from each other—they add to one another.
They take care of themselves: They’ve learned somewhere along the way that growth is a gift. Our clients have seen how rest supports their growth, from taking 10 days off to travel, unplugged to booking week-long cruises with their own clients!
Creativity, problem solving, reinvention, and disrupting a field requires margin, rest, and connection. For me, this has looked like:
I used to believe rest was a reward you earned after the work was done. I no longer think that’s true.
This deeply seeded belief that we have is woven into every part of our process and framework at Oh Yes Communications.
From taking the time to spend a whole day deep-diving into your messaging so our team fully understands your values, culture, driving motivator, client, and the space that’s yours to own in the market – it not only reignites the excitement for the founders behind the brand, but it allows our team to be fully bought-in before we touch a single thing in your marketing.
We operate from our why, not our what.
Steady and deep strategy solidifies the 3-5 things we’re going to go all-in on each year to meticulously build out an experience that not only delivers value but also delights the user on the other end. We’ve defined those for the 2026 year as:
• Overhauling our site so it accurately reflects who we are today– A messaging-first marketing agency that knows laying a clear and strong foundation is pivotal to long-term success.
• Continuing to limit our ongoing monthly support client roster to 10-12 accounts at once, because the goal isn’t a massive client list that requires infinite talent recruitment, but a relationship with our clients that feels like we’re in the building and a part of their team.
• Leaning more on where our roots started, in photo and video, by “deep diving” on-site with crews of all sizes in cities across the country, in long-but-energizing days. We’re not afraid of hard work.
Just last year, some of our projects led to millions of dollars in fundraising, bringing together thousands of people on national security issues, and more. We love it, they love it – it’s one big love fest.
• Expanding our team by 2 positions on the marketing team, bringing us to a total of 7. No giant corporate agency where you’re managed by 1-2 people and supported by dozens behind the scenes.
Continuity is hard when so many people touch your brand. Communication gets dropped, buy-in is rare, excitement is said, but not felt. We’re in the daily with our teams week-to-week, in a good way.
Through these, it feels like there is confidence, trust, and ease in the business. And God continues to align us with clients that operate this way too.
In Personal Life
I chose steady and deep because I knew it couldn’t stop at business—it had to shape my life, too.
Oftentimes, chaos-driven growth bleeds into our personal lives without us even noticing.
It shows up as sacrificing boundaries, juggling family and work at the same time, or pushing through exhaustion with the belief that “there’s a goal to hit, I’m going to push through x, y, and z.”
Sound familiar?
I’ve been there. I can feel the tension in my shoulders and the tightening of my face just recalling those nights.
I communicated my priorities with my actions. The worst part of all, was feeling like a failure at the end of the night because I let those I loved the most, down.
Steady and deep flips that script.
You still show discipline and consistency, but you do it with intention. Picking up tomorrow with fresh energy often serves your family, your team, and yourself far better than pushing through exhaustion ever could.
Here’s what this looks like for me in practice:
I love ending my year with this practice. It’s what allowed me to set the tone for this year and brings me back to my “why” daily.
In 2026, steady and deep is how I choose to live and lead, both in business and in life. It’s fewer priorities, deeper work, and excellence that comes from consistency, not urgency. It’s investing in the people, the work, and the life that matter most, without sacrificing presence, margin, or joy.
After years of building a business, learning from the chaos-driven growth of the past, and discovering what truly sustains us, I’ve realized it is possible to be fully fulfilled in both life and work.
Steady and deep proves that clarity, focus, and intentionality don’t limit your impact—they amplify it.
If this hit a soft spot for you—if you felt a spark of recognition or a nudge to slow down and reflect— shoot me a DM on Instagram at @ohyeskathy. I also write email notes about leadership, faith, and building a meaningful life and business. If you want to read along, join our email list.
I’d love to hear how you’re choosing steady and deep in your life or business this year.
