A planning guide for entrepreneurs
To build a business is to build a legacy. All the long hours and relentless effort of running a company does more than generate profit—it creates jobs, supports families, and strengthens communities.
The contributions business owners make endure, even long after they’ve sold their companies. Yet entrepreneurs are anything but content. They see legacy as something to expand, not conclude.
As 2025 comes to a close, now is the moment to ask: What’s next for your impact? How will you extend your influence beyond your business?
Defining your legacy
Your legacy represents the ongoing significance of your work, values, and decisions. It’s what continues to shape others after your direct involvement ends.
In our experience, entrepreneurs who extend their contributions do so across three key dimensions: capital, people, and ideas.
Through capital
After a major liquidity event, founders often have access to more financial resources than they ever anticipated. We’ve seen time and time again how entrepreneurs’ generosity continues to amplify their reach.
Here’s how you can turn wealth into momentum:
- Impact investing. Channel funds into ventures that align with your values, such as sustainability, education, or innovation.
- Philanthropy or donor-advised funds. Structure giving so it’s strategic and measurable and will provide ongoing value. Make the most of your donations by reading our November article on the season of giving.
- Family foundations or trust structures. Enable your family or friends to lead initiatives that carry your name and mission forward.
The question isn’t simply “Where can I give?” but “Where can my capital accelerate meaningful change?”
Through people
Entrepreneurs recognize the importance of developing others and the impact that effective leadership can have on performance and growth. Beyond your business, there are even more opportunities to use those skills by investing in people.
Start influencing the next generation through:
- Mentorship. Guide rising entrepreneurs, local owners, or other professionals who could benefit from your expertise and experience. Learn more about effective mentorship in our previous article.
- Succession and development. You can work with your former company or through outside ventures to empower others to carry your principles forward.
- Community cultivation. Strengthen the networks around you by connecting leaders, creating opportunities for collaboration, and fostering environments where people can grow together.
Remember, the lessons you pass on live through the decisions and integrity of the people you help shape.
Through ideas
Utilize your years of experience by sharing your insights and perspectives. Entrepreneurs who channel their expertise into thought leadership or advocacy can influence how others build, lead, and innovate.
Here are a few practical ways you can advocate for change:
- Policy and community involvement. Join boards, councils, or local initiatives that benefit areas such as economic growth or entrepreneurship.
- Publishing and speaking. Share your advice by developing a playbook for how you built a resilient company and the challenges along the way.
- Education and ecosystems. Sponsor scholarships, fund incubators, or partner with institutions to inspire the next wave of innovators.
Legacy is built through consistent, intentional effort. Each decision you make to invest in capital, people, or ideas adds another chapter to your life story.
2026 planning guide
As the new year approaches, it’s time to turn your thoughts about legacy into a practical plan. Approach it like any other strategic initiative: define what success looks like, commit resources, and track progress.
We’ve outlined three steps to help you expand your impact in 2026.
1. Start with self-reflection
Before you set new goals, look inward. In 2026, make reflection a deliberate part of your planning process.
Block time early in the year to write, discuss, or think through your long-term vision. Ask yourself what’s been most meaningful in your life, who has benefited from your efforts, and what you want to be remembered for. Pay attention to the patterns that surface.
Legacy planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. The most effective approach aligns with who you are, what you value, and where your time, energy, and resources can make the greatest difference.
2. Turn values into structure
Once you’ve clarified your priorities, give them a blueprint.
Set objectives. Be specific about what you want to accomplish in 2026. This could mean dedicating a portion of your calendar to mentorship, funding a community initiative, recording your personal philosophy, or formalizing your giving plan.
Create a vehicle. Choose how you will operate—through a foundation, a family or community project, a recurring event, or a personal commitment of time and expertise. Keep it simple enough to sustain and scale.
Involve others. Identify who can help bring your vision to life. Engage family members, peers, or advisors who share your purpose. Collaboration ensures continuity and keeps your legacy dynamic.
This isn’t about perfection; it’s about momentum. Start small, commit to steady progress, and review your strategy on a quarterly basis.
3. Put your plan into action
A legacy only takes shape when it’s lived out. Once you’ve clarified what matters and outlined how you want to contribute, the next step is to turn those intentions into measurable progress.
Begin the year with focus. Revisit your objectives from Step 2 and choose one or two priorities to start with. Define what success looks like, outline milestones, and carve out dedicated time to work on them. Treat this as seriously as any other major commitment on your calendar.
Establish rhythm and accountability. Schedule regular check-ins to review progress, refine goals, and adjust as needed. Track your activity and outcomes—how many people you’ve mentored, projects you’ve supported, or initiatives you’ve advanced—to stay aligned with your purpose.
Stay adaptable. As life evolves, so will your definition of legacy. Some efforts will proliferate; others may take longer to take hold. What matters is maintaining forward motion by continuing to act on what feels most meaningful and letting progress accumulate over time.
By the end of 2026, you should be able to look back not just at what you intended to do, but at the marks you left. The goal is to make legacy-building a practice.
Continuing your story
Legacy doesn’t end when you sell your business. It continues through the people you’ve influenced, the ideas you’ve shared, and the progress made possible by your work. It’s then strengthened by how you choose to keep contributing and putting your experience to use.
As 2026 approaches, focus on expanding that legacy in new directions. Shape your goals and plans around this next chapter: one that extends beyond your company, and well beyond your lifetime.