Dear Friends,
This past year at The 2×2 was shaped by practical conversations about independent and fractional work, grounded in what I heard from you, our readers.
And together, we’ve been building the playbook.
When I look back at the stories, frameworks, and ideas we shared this year, a few rose to the top. Not because they were viral, but because they changed the way we actually work.
The conversations that shaped us most weren’t mine.
They were from the guests who pulled back the curtain with their ideas and experiences.
Our most impactful conversations this year were:
On my side, this was also a year of big pivots in in how I run my consulting practice, Keenan Reid Strategies.
Stepping back from client work created more space (and far less fragmentation) to focus on growth. In truth – it also put pressure on cash flow, and forced me to learn to manage the unknown.
Running business development as an actual system broke a few of my long-held mental barriers around sales. Having a real pipeline changed how I make decisions and where I spend my time, unlocking a more effective lead generation for us.
And perhaps the biggest breakthrough: meeting the market’s actual needs. We reworked our offer – lower price point, more implementation, shoulder-to-shoulder with strategy. That pivot has unlocked growth for everyone involved.
None of this felt glamorous in the moment. But it worked. And it’s pointing where we go next.
In 2026, my mission stays the same: help independent and fractional leaders move up and to the right.
And you’ll see us making that mission a lot easier to access with three things.
First, our new site is live – a simpler way to find the content you need, when you need it.
Next, we have The 2x2 Library up and running – a searchable knowledge base of everything we’ve published about starting, running, and scaling your consulting practice.
Soon, you’ll see:
More AMA episodes, where I share my decade of lessons learned, distilled so you get to the right answer faster.
A library of strategic frameworks I learned at BCG, ready to drop into decks and client conversations
Access is free right now for subscribers. It won’t be forever, but it is today.
If you want in before we begin monetizing in Q1, then now’s the time.
The 2x2 Podcast is also officially live – with stories from successful consultants. Some business nerd stuff is also making a comeback there.
(Because I’m convinced there is room in the universe for a middle-aged-lady voice in the business-nerd pod-dom.)
And the two most-requested tools are here as well:
the Rate Calculator, still in the beta phase so make sure to leave us feedback.
the Contract Template we’ve used to price and secure over $10M of work at KRS.
Give them a spin and let us know how we can improve.
Lastly, I want to thank you for being here, reading, commenting, and building this with me.
Here’s to a year of clarity, momentum, and moving up and to the right – together.
With warm holiday wishes,
Remember, the path to success is paved with continuous learning and embracing fresh perspectives.
Let's stay connected, share ideas, and elevate your consulting business.
Stay curious, friends.
The 2×2 is brought to you by Keenan Reid Strategies
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