It's the last day of the year.
And I know what you're doing. You're looking at your metrics. Counting users. Reviewing revenue. Comparing where you are to where you thought you'd be.
Maybe the numbers are good. Maybe they're not. Maybe you're proud. Maybe you're disappointed.
But I want you to consider something else.
What did you actually build this year?
Not the features. Not the product. You.
Did you learn to make decisions faster? Did you get better at saying no? Did you figure out what kind of founder you want to be — and what kind you don't?
Did you survive a crisis and come out calmer on the other side? Did you learn to ask for help? Did you stop pretending you had all the answers?
These aren't things that show up in your analytics. But they're the foundation everything else is built on.
Products can fail and be rebuilt. Companies can pivot. But the judgment, the resilience, the self-awareness you develop — that stays with you. That compounds. That's the real asset.
So tonight, when you're reflecting on the year, don't just measure the business. Measure yourself.
You're not the same founder you were in January. And that might be the most important thing you built.
This is Founder FM. Happy New Year. I'll see you on the other side.