Diary of a ceo
Diary of a CEO — #7:
Christmas Entry (2025)
Christmas has a way of forcing a pause. The noise quietens, the inbox slows, and for the first time in months there’s space to look back properly. Not just at what I built this year, but at who I became while building it.
2025 has been a year of real growth—personally and professionally. Not the glamorous, overnight kind, but the hard-earned type that comes from long days, uncomfortable decisions, missed trains, early mornings, and late nights questioning whether it’s all worth it. It is. But it hasn’t been easy.
This year, the business truly started to feel real. What began as an idea has matured into something tangible: partnerships with teams, federations, engineers, and athletes who genuinely believe in what we’re building. I’ve moved from “doing everything myself” to thinking like a CEO—structuring, delegating, planning, and sometimes stepping back instead of charging forward. That shift alone has been one of the biggest lessons of the year.
I’ve travelled more than ever—across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Trains, flights, workshops, velodromes, wind tunnels, coffee meetings that turned into three-hour conversations. Each trip came with perspective. Travel strips things back. It reminds you that ideas don’t live on laptops—they live in people, places, and shared ambition. Some of the most important progress this year didn’t happen in meetings, but standing trackside, walking factory floors, or talking life with people who care deeply about performance and purpose.
As a CEO, I’ve learned that momentum is fragile. It needs protecting. Growth isn’t just about adding more projects—it’s about saying no, focusing, and making sure the foundations are strong enough to carry what’s coming next. I’ve made mistakes this year. I’ve overcommitted. I’ve been stretched too thin. But I’ve also learned to course-correct faster, to be more honest with myself, and to accept that progress doesn’t need to be perfect to be meaningful.
On a personal level, this year reminded me why self-care matters—not as a luxury, but as a responsibility. You can’t build something world-class if you’re running on empty. Taking time for health, reflection, friends, and family isn’t a distraction from the mission—it’s fuel for it. Christmas especially brings that into focus. None of this work exists in isolation. I’m doing this for a bigger future, yes—but also for the people who’ve backed me quietly, consistently, and without conditions.
Looking ahead to the future, I feel something I didn’t always feel this year: clarity. The plans are sharper. The vision is stronger. The direction is set. The next phase isn’t about proving that this can work—it’s about scaling it properly, sustainably, and with intent. Building deeper partnerships. Delivering real performance gains. Creating something that lasts beyond hype or trends.
This Christmas, I’m grateful. For the setbacks that taught me resilience. For the wins that confirmed I’m on the right path. For the people who believed before there was evidence. And for the version of myself that kept going, even when stopping would’ve been easier.
2026 isn’t about starting over.
It’s about building forward.
And that feels like the best gift of all. 🎄
