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Every year tells a story. This year, it was a story of growth, grit, and the unshakable power of community.
If you’ve been following along with Q4i’s Industry Blog this year, you’ve seen it all — moments of hard truth, big wins, and lessons we didn’t see coming.
Here’s a look back at the posts that sparked conversations, inspired change, and maybe even gave you a fresh perspective.
Chapter 1: The clash of bold ideas
Do we stick with tradition or embrace innovation? Spoiler: It’s not one or the other.
We kicked off 2024 by asking a big question: What happens when innovation and tradition collide? Our post, Innovation vs. Tradition, challenged the assumption that you have to pick a side. Instead, it asked readers to find the blend — using tradition as a foundation but building on it with fresh ideas.
That conversation fueled a larger theme for the year: embracing duality, tradition vs. innovation, simplicity vs. strategy, big leaps vs. small steps. Sometimes, it was the small, unassuming actions that made the most impact.
Take Stanley, Big Dumb Bird, and the Pursuit of Mindless Repetition — a quirky title with a real lesson that doing the “boring” stuff over and over again is exactly what leads to success. Repetition, repetition, repetition is the path.
Chapter 2: The hard conversations we can’t avoid
Growth requires honesty, and sometimes, honesty isn’t pretty.
Growth doesn’t happen without uncomfortable conversations, and this year, we had a few. One of the most talked-about posts of 2024 was Damnit, Can We Please Stop Attacking Our Own?. This one hit a nerve, calling out the all-too-common habit of criticizing each other instead of supporting and lifting each other up.
But it wasn’t just about how we treat others. It was also about how we talk to ourselves. Self-doubt creeps in. But Moving from “I Suck” to “I’m the GOAT” outlines how you’re more capable than you give yourself credit for. With a little self-awareness and a shift in mindset, you can stop being your own biggest critic and start being your biggest champion.
If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s this: be kind to others and yourself.
Chapter 3: The game of business (and the mental game of selling)
Selling isn’t a strategy. It’s a sport.
Selling is as emotional as it is strategic. We called this out in The Emotional Sport of Business and Selling. Knowing sales techniques is one thing, but the real challenge is allowing yourself to get emotionally involved.
Sales is also about strategy. Enter Benefits Advisor Meets Their Prospect: Two Truths and a Lie. If you think you know what your prospects are looking for, this post might surprise you. It offers a clever, honest take on what advisors think prospects want vs. what they actually want (it’s more than "savings").
Chapter 4: Growth isn’t waiting for you
If you’re waiting for things to go back to “normal,” you’re already behind.
2024 wasn’t a "sit back and wait" kind of year. It was a year of action, change, and growth.
Our post, Three Ways Benefits Advisors Can Grow Despite Industry Change, laid it all out: you can’t rely on the old playbook. You must stay nimble, anticipate change, and prepare for the unknown. Waiting for the dust to settle isn’t a strategy. Growth happens when you lean in.
The industry isn’t getting simpler, but you don’t have to do it alone. That’s where Goose comes in. Our post, Goose: Your Ultimate Wingman, introduced readers to the power of community. The Goose platform has become a place where advisors share ideas, learn from each other, and level up their businesses together. The lone wolf approach is dead. Thrive with a community.
Chapter 5: Looking back, looking ahead
Sometimes, you have to reflect on where you’ve been to figure out where you need to go.
This year marked a major milestone: Q4i’s 15th anniversary. We celebrated by sharing 15 Lessons We’ve Learned Over 15 Years. The lessons touch on everything from patience to perseverance and reflect the journey we’ve taken as a company. It’s one of those posts where you can’t help but think, “Yeah, I get that.”
Another moment of reflection came after attending Ellevate’s Women’s Leadership Summit. Our post, What I Took Away from Ellevate’s Women’s Leadership Summit (and You Should Too), brought back practical lessons on leadership, mentorship, and the power of showing up.
The biggest takeaway? The best growth happens when you reflect, learn, and keep moving forward.
Where do we go from here? Join our community!
2024 was a year of challenge, change, and progress. We talked about innovation, self-doubt, growth strategies, emotional resilience, and the power of community. But most of all, we talked about moving forward.
Don’t wait for change. Be the change.
Ready to make 2025 your year for realizing your potential? Consider joining Goose and one of our Peer Accountability & Roundtable (PAR) small-group cohorts. Community helps propel your progress and make your work more fun along the way!
Content originally published on Q4intelligence
Photo by docer2000
