My 2022: The Year In Review

How did your 2022 go?

Even though we have some time left, my year is basically done. So this will be my last newsletter of 2022, and I will pick it back up in January.

First, thanks to all who submitted the survey, it will really help me shape 2023 content. Also, I am making a donation to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation on behalf of this community next week!

Today, I will do a brief “year in review” with…

• What went well…
• What didn’t go so well…
• And what I am looking forward to next year…

I’ll give you ONE in each, both professionally and personally.

Before we begin…

Do you even know what I actually do? 😂😂

Most don’t… So let’s cover that real quick.

The “How I Make Money” Infographic

The image above explains it the best I can. I see Better Human Business as the umbrella company. Underneath that umbrella is three companies, each with a different focus in the “better human business.”

• EO3 was first started in 2011 - On day one, the mission was “Build Better Humans.”
• GGA came next; it started in 2016.
• Lastly came PT Biz, which started in 2018.

I don’t need to dive much further, but I hope that helps.

So, in all that, how did 2022 go??

What went well this year?

First, let’s start with what went well!

Professionally…

PT Biz made the Inc. 5,000 list. We cleared the top 500 and reached #447 on the Inc. 500.

Having and not having the award isn’t much different, and I don’t put much weight on accolades. However, when you have been grinding as an entrepreneur for almost 12 years, it’s nice to know how you are doing amongst your peers.

Big takeaways for that level of growth:

1.) Get good business partners - you’ll move faster.

2.) Data > Feelings

3.) Have a DAMN GOOD product/service and never stop making it better

I said I would do one each, but here’s one more…

Killing Comfort Book Sales

This year, I lowered the price of Killing Comfort on Amazon to the lowest allowable level, and it 5x’d book sales.

I’m taking no profit from the book. ZERO. But more people have read it this year than last, so that’s a huge win.

Personally…

We bought some land!

Another company, not part of Better Human Business, is the real estate company I jointly own with my wife, Emily.

If you’re thinking, “Another company… how do you have time for this?” The answer is: I don’t. Emily runs the show.

Over the years, we have done A LOT of projects. Minor renovations, new construction, and full gut remodels. In the process, we fell in love with everything, inspiring us to design and build our dream home.

We’ve got the land and plan to build our home in 2023!

What didn’t go so well this year?

Now, let’s dive into what didn’t go so well. This is where I admit I am far from perfect and still learning a ton every week.

Professionally…

This year, I wanted to see if Garage Gym Athlete could stand independently without running ads.

What did I find out? It can’t!

The growth of GGA was flat this year. We will have to turn things around in 2023, but I learned a lot about organic growth strategies. We already have a solid plan for next year, but this year was rough.

Personally…

What sucked this year was training. Now, I put in the work! We did the Daily Over Decades Challenge at Garage Gym Athlete, and I easily cleared over 300 training sessions in 2022.

However, my performance is trash right now. Injury after injury had me putting in the work but not at my usual volume or intensity. And for the first time in nearly 20 years, I feel “out of shape.”

When I say “out of shape,” I mean my run times are slower, my strength numbers are down, etc. And I’m not going to lie; it messed with my brain for a while.

The good news is, I am back!! My body finally decided to quit being such a baby, and I am returning to the usual volume and intensity levels. I probably have 3-4 months to build back to baseline, and I am ready to do the work.

What am I working toward?

So what am I looking forward to in 2023?

A lot!

Professionally…

I am looking forward to CREATING in 2023. I miss creating things, writing, building, etc. Business has turned into a lot of management, operations, numbers, data, etc.

It’s necessary for growth, but it’s far from my passion.

In 2023, I will be writing a lot more, building resources, and creating new online communities, and I may even play with actually posting on social media.

Personally…

The main personal goal for 2023 is breaking ground on that dirt we bought. Construction can be stressful, but Emily and I have already been through it. We are going to enjoy the process. Building this house is going to be about us. Spending time together, making decisions, and creating something we are proud of and our kids will call home.

What are you looking forward to in 2023?

Reply and let me know.

Try harder,

JM