May Newsletter
Starter Plan

The Hasten Group · Monthly Newsletter

May 2026

Growth. Leadership. Results.

Welcome to your May edition — packed with leadership insight, business strategy, and actionable steps to help you finish the spring strong.

From the Desk of The Hasten Group

May is the month where momentum either compounds or collapses. You're nearly halfway through the year — and the gap between where you are and where you planned to be is now undeniable. That's not a bad thing. Clarity is a gift. This month, we're focused on helping you close the gap: in leadership, in sales, in mindset, and in productivity. Let's make the back half of this year count.

Leadership

Stop Managing, Start Leading

There's a critical difference between a manager and a leader — and most entrepreneurs get stuck in manager mode far too long. A manager controls tasks. A leader shapes culture, casts vision, and builds people.

This month, challenge yourself to step back from the daily to-do list and ask: Am I reacting to my business, or am I leading it? True leadership means working on the business, not just in it.

Practical shift: Block 2 hours each week as 'leadership time' — no client work, no emails. Use it to think strategically, develop your team, and evaluate progress against your vision.

Productivity

The Power of the Weekly Review

High-performing entrepreneurs share one consistent habit: they review before they plan. Every Friday (or Sunday evening), take 20 minutes to close out your week with intention.

Ask yourself: What did I accomplish this week? What didn't get done, and why? What's the single most important thing I need to move forward next week?

This simple habit rewires your brain for clarity and breaks the cycle of reactive, unfocused weeks. Most people plan their weeks but never review them — and they wonder why they feel busy but not productive.

Business Growth

Build a Referral Engine, Not a Sales Funnel

Every business needs leads — but the most sustainable source of new clients isn't ads, it's referrals. Referrals convert at 3–5x the rate of cold leads and come pre-loaded with trust.

The key to referrals is not asking for them randomly — it's creating a systematic, intentional experience that makes clients want to talk about you.

This month's action: Reach out to your top 5 clients. Thank them genuinely. Ask one question: 'Is there anyone in your network who might benefit from what we do together?' That's it. Watch what happens.

Mindset

Discomfort Is the Price of Growth

Every entrepreneur eventually hits a ceiling — not a market ceiling, but a personal one. The strategies, habits, and mindsets that got you here will not get you to the next level.

Growth requires discomfort. It requires you to delegate things you're good at so you can focus on what only you can do. It requires saying no to good opportunities to make space for great ones.

This month, identify one thing you've been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable. That discomfort is a signal. It's pointing you toward your next level of growth.

5 Quick Wins for May

  • 1.Set your top 3 priorities for the week every Monday morning before opening email.
  • 2.Send a personal thank-you note to a client or colleague this month — handwritten if possible.
  • 3.Audit your calendar: does your time reflect your top priorities? If not, restructure it.
  • 4.Read one chapter of a leadership book per week. Compound learning changes everything.
  • 5.Have one hard conversation you've been putting off. Clarity on the other side is worth it.

May Challenge

30-Day Vision Clarity Sprint

Every day in May, spend 5 minutes writing your vision for your business as if it's already happened. Present tense. Specific. Bold. Watch what clarity and conviction start to build by day 30.

Want to Go Deeper This Month?

Book a complimentary discovery call and let's map out your second-half strategy together.