A 2025 Reflection: The Year of Realignment

This is a reflective post.

I don’t think I did this last year, but I’d like to make it a tradition moving forward. Years ago, when I was running my photography business, I used to publish an annual recap every December — highlighting the couples I photographed, the business owners I supported through branding, and the growth that happened behind the scenes.

This year’s reflection looks a little different. It’s more centered around me — my growth, my decisions, the pivots — but the sentiment is the same. There has been a lot to celebrate in 2025. There have also been challenges. But overall, this year was full of growth worth honoring.

My hope is that this reflection helps another small business owner, another short-term rental owner, or honestly anyone who’s had a hard year. If that’s you, you’re not alone.

Let’s dive in.

---

The 2025 Rebrand: Growth Takes Longer Than You Think

At the beginning of 2025, I went through a full-scale rebrand.

I changed:

• My business name
• My logo
• My podcast name
• My ideal client
• My messaging

Everything.

Previously, my business and podcast lived under my personal brand — The Allie Ray Haney Show. But I wanted to move away from a personal brand and toward more of an agency model. I wanted the flexibility to scale, to bring on white-label designers, and to remove the expectation that I would always be the person clients worked with one-on-one.

That decision felt a little contrarian. A lot of people are leaning into personal brands right now. But for where I wanted to go, an agency made more sense.

What I underestimated was how long it would take for that change to truly land with my audience.

I had unrealistic expectations. I thought I would see the results of the rebrand almost immediately. Instead, it took time — and clarity.

I was still trying to speak to two audiences:

• Creative entrepreneurs
• Real estate and short-term rental owners

I was, quite literally, trying to ride two horses with one ass.

Eventually, I had to choose. And the path that felt the most aligned was short-term rental owners — because I am one. I’m an owner and operator, and that content came naturally. Once I committed fully to that audience, everything started to click.

If you’ve gone through a rebrand and something still feels slightly off, that’s okay. You’re probably one or two tweaks away from alignment.

---

Hiring Support & Learning to Let Go

Early in the year, I hired a podcast producer — Haley Gaffin of Gaffin Creative — and a virtual assistant.

This was huge for me.

With Haley’s help, we did not miss a single weekly podcast episode in all of 2025. That may not sound like a big deal to everyone, but as a mom of three (7, 5, and 3), a military spouse, and a business owner, that consistency is something I’m incredibly proud of.

But creating long-form content isn’t enough. You have to market it.

That’s where the VA came in.

We leaned heavily into video content earlier this year — reels, B-roll, trends — and even experimented with renting local Airbnbs each month to batch content while promoting both my podcast and those properties.

What we learned:

• Strategy matters, but simplicity matters more
• Most of the content that performed well was basic B-roll
• We didn’t need expensive monthly shoots to get results

Ultimately, we stopped the monthly Airbnb content days in the fall. It served its purpose, gave us valuable data, and taught me when it was time to pivot instead of forcing something just because it was “the plan.”

Giving myself permission to evolve was one of the biggest lessons of the year.

---

Level Up Your Listing: A Turning Point

At the end of Q1, I attended Level Up Your Listing Summit in Phoenix.

I booked the trip four weeks before the event. I knew no one. I went alone.

And I walked out with community, clarity, and connections that have changed my business — and honestly, my life.

At the time, we were planning to sell our Kentucky property, The Commonwealth. We had no plans to buy another short-term rental. I attended the summit thinking primarily about agency leads.

Instead, it reignited something in me.

At the end of the event, I pulled Natalie Palmer — co-founder of Level Up — aside and said, “Mark my words. I will be on the Rising Stars panel next year.”

That was bold for me. But sometimes clarity gives you courage.

Level Up gave me permission to dream again.

---

Choosing to Double Down Instead of Bowing Out

Mid-year, we made a big decision: we kept The Commonwealth.

Competition on the Bourbon Trail increased rapidly. Luxury listings with amenities started popping up seemingly overnight. We had two options:

1. Sell and walk away
2. Reinvest and level up

We chose to reinvest.

We refreshed the interior design, added a hot tub, and planned future upgrades like a pickleball court and sauna. But most importantly, we clarified who our guest is.

We are not targeting loud, kitschy, over-the-top design.

We’re targeting 50+ couples looking for elegance, comfort, and a luxurious, relaxing getaway.

That clarity changed everything.

---

Podcast Growth: Small Tweaks, Massive Results

In the fall, I joined Haley Gaffin’s podcast growth program (now Soundboard Society).

I thought I was doing “pretty well.”

I was wrong — in the best way.

We audited content, refined keywords, optimized old episodes, and clarified monetization goals. And within 90 days, podcast listenership grew 225%.

That growth didn’t come from doing more — it came from doing smarter.

2025 was about realignment.
2026 is about momentum.

I’m calling it now: this podcast will have a sponsor by the end of 2026.

---

Luna, Action Academy, and Looking Ahead

Late summer brought Luna — our new micro-resort project in Southern Virginia — and with it, a whole new chapter. From pre-acquisition to inspections, renovations, branding, and building a waitlist before launch, Luna has been one of the most exciting projects of my career.

We closed on November 7th. Watching my kids enjoy that property already — even before it’s fully complete — has been incredibly emotional. It feels like a full-circle moment after the challenges we faced in Kentucky.

At the end of the year, I also joined Action Academy, a mastermind focused on small business acquisition and alternative paths to wealth outside of the W-2. It was a leap — a $15,000 leap — but one that already feels incredibly aligned.

Being in rooms with people who think bigger than you forces you to think differently.

And that’s exactly what 2025 did for me.

---

Final Thoughts

2025 was the year of realignment.
2026 is the year I put my foot on the gas.

I can already see the seeds planted this year starting to grow — in the podcast, in Luna, in our short-term rental portfolio, and in the opportunities ahead.

If you’re still here after 45 minutes (or a very long blog post), thank you. I appreciate you more than you know.

If there’s any way I can support your goals in 2026 — branding, waitlists, co-hosting, or strategy — please reach out. You can find me on Instagram at @brandmarket.co, book a free consult call, or grab the free short-term rental acquisition checklist linked below.

Let’s make 2026 incredible.
Let’s go.