<p>LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE IF YOU WANT TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ON HOW TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS IN 2026</p><p><br></p><p>Today I’m breaking down data + numbers in a way that actually feels doable. No spreadsheets, no corporate jargon, no MBA required. If you’ve been “going with your gut” because dashboards feel intimidating, this episode will show you how to use simple metrics to make smarter decisions, fix the right problems, and set yourself up for a stronger 2026.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode:</p><p><br></p><p>• The biggest mistakes founders make with numbers (and how to avoid them)</p><p>• How to separate emotion from data so you stop taking your metrics personally</p><p>• The difference between sales data and strategy data</p><p>• The 3–4 core metrics you should start tracking (even if you hate numbers)</p><p>• How often you really need to check your data (weekly, monthly, quarterly)</p><p>• What it means when traffic is up but conversion is down (and vice versa)</p><p>• How to tell if you have a visibility problem, a website problem, or a pricing problem</p><p>• How to use year-over-year and month-over-month comparisons to see real progress</p><p>• A beginner-friendly way to build a simple “scorecard” for your business in 2026</p><p><br></p><p>📌 Have a question you want featured next time? Join the free podcast community below!</p><p><br></p><p>Topics we discuss: small business growth, e-commerce strategy, how to scale your product business, small business economy tips, overcoming sales plateaus</p><p><br></p><p>JOIN THE SMALL BUSINESS CAFE FREE COMMUNITY // <a href="https://smallbusiness-4pv9961.slack.com/signup#/domain-signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">CLICK HERE</a></p><p><br></p><p>FREE TRAININGS //<a href="https://www.thisismadisonpaige.com/freebies/#pod" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"> CLICK HERE TO BROWSE</a></p><p>EXPLORE PROGRAM &amp; SERVICES // <a href="https://www.thisismadisonpaige.com/#pod" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">CLICK HERE</a></p><p><br></p><p>APPLY TO WORK WITH ME // <a href="https://sbbyeehm4gg.typeform.com/to/J4YLx5ot?kuid=513c1bb2-5b64-4c79-8232-ee85bd5c53d8-1739221194&kref=TLWqJUnizla4/#pod" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">CLICK HERE</a></p><p>FOLLOW MADI ON INSTAGRAM // <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thisismadisonpaige/#pod" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">@thisismadisonpaige</a></p>