The Holistic Leader in 2025, and what I’m building for 2026
From daily notes to a newsletter for leaders
Hi friends!
Happy Holidays 🎄
Before we step into 2026, I want to pause for a minute.
To look back at what this year taught me, because this newsletter did not start on Substack.
It started with a note on my phone.
Where it began
On Feb 9, 2024, I started writing down my thoughts on:
leadership
agile
teams
culture
coaching
Then I started sharing those notes on LinkedIn.
Slowly, people started paying attention.
A comment here.
A message there.
A “this helped me” reply that I did not expect.
Over time, that turned into a community of 5,500+ followers.
That was the moment I realized something simple.
People were listening.
So I decided to write more.
Why I started The Holistic Leader
I moved my longer ideas to Substack and started this newsletter.
I built it for a specific kind of leader.
A leader who wants to make their team awesome.
Not with big speeches.
With small, practical moves that work in real life.
The year in numbers
In 2025, I:
published 57 issues
grew The Holistic Leader to 1,000+ subscribers
reached leaders across 44 countries and 23 states
created 50+ carousel posts with short, practical insights
That last one matters to me.
Short posts are not “quick work.”
They force clear thinking.
They make you earn every word.
A moment that surprised me
At one point this year, I found out I was ranked #31 in Canada in the Top 50 Creators (Management & Leadership) list.
I didn’t apply.
I didn’t even know it was happening.
A friend of mine messaged me like:
“Hey… did you know you’re Top 50 in Canada?”
I was genuinely shocked.
It was unexpected, and honestly, pretty meaningful because it came from doing the same thing over and over:
It reminded me that consistency travels farther than we think.
What people kept coming back to
Here are the posts readers returned to the most:
When I look at that list, I see one theme.
Leaders are dealing with real tension every day:
What does “value” even mean here
When roles help, and when they become control
How to change culture without forcing people
How to lead when you feel like an outsider
What changed for me
This year, writing became part of my identity.
It made me slow down.
It made me listen better.
It made me simpler in my words.
And more direct in my actions.
It also pushed me deeper into coaching.
Not as a title.
As a real skill.
So I invested in it.
In 2025, I completed coaching trainings and earned certifications that helped me:
ask better questions
listen without rushing to fix
spot what’s really happening under the surface
coach leaders through change without pushing
What surprised me
I did not expect this newsletter to also teach me business.
But it did.
In 2025, I learned by doing:
how to write titles people actually open
how to explain what this newsletter is in one sentence
how subscriptions work behind the scenes
how to price things fairly
how to sell without feeling fake
how to build small systems that keep the work moving
At first, it felt awkward.
Then it got clearer.
And that helped the writing too.
Lessons I’m taking into 2026
Here’s what I learned:
Clarity beats volume
One clear idea helps more than five vague ones.Most team problems are not process problems
They are trust problems.Culture changes when leaders change what they reward
What you praise becomes the system.Consistency gets easier when you write to help
Not to impress.
Small posts can create big reflection
What I’m building next
In 2026, I want to make this newsletter even more useful.
More “use this tomorrow.”
Here’s what I’m planning:
talk more about how to apply holistic leadership
talk more on leading change without draining people
dive into new formats: video, courses, maybe even a podcast.
more on agile leadership that shows up in daily habits
decisions, flow, focus, feedbackmore reader stories
what I've tried, what worked, what didn’t
And yes.
I will keep writing.
One ask
If you’ve been reading along, one issue or all 57, thank you! 🙌
If you’re here, you’re part of the community.
You helped turn a phone note into something leaders around the world actually use.
Now I want to make 2026 even more useful.
What should I write about next?
What are you stuck on right now, trust, feedback, alignment, execution, culture?
Leave a comment and tell me. I’ll build around what you share.
Happy Holidays, and let’s make teams awesome in 2026. 🚀
See you in the next issue.
Best,
Carlos
Founder, The Holistic Leader Newsletter
Author, The Holistic Leader & Leadership Every Day