The Year-End Edge How leaders close 2025 strong and build for 2026

As the final quarter of 2025 unfolds, businesses find themselves navigating a critical juncture. November, in particular, often feels like the make-or-break month - a time to lock in priorities, sharpen strategy, and rally teams amid mounting pressure. The challenge? Balancing the urgency of year-end goals with the need to build sustainable momentum for the coming year. Across industries, successful leaders share a common approach: they combine disciplined execution with strategic foresight, leverage technology thoughtfully, and protect their teams from burnout by fostering purposeful cultures. We spoke to four CEOs across sectors - from healthcare to private equity, fintech to pension technology - to understand how they're closing out 2025 and setting up for 2026.

Finishing What You Start
Lyall Cresswell, CEO and founder of Transport Exchange Group (TEG), a technology company that operates digital freight platforms, has learned over 25 years that winning companies are those that "actually finish what they started." For him, Q4 is "heads down time - making sure we deliver on the strategy we set for the year." Rather than rushing to patch new initiatives, Cresswell emphasises disciplined focus. "We reinvest 25% of revenue into R&D every year, but we also protect our people," he explains. "Q4 isn't about heroics, it's about executing the plan we've built together. Sustainable growth means sustainable teams." This balance between focus and team wellbeing is echoed across sectors, underscoring that the path to success comes from steady, deliberate progress rather than rushing without direction.

Technology as a Strategic Enabler
Another key focus is strengthening customer relationships. "Our focus for the final quarter is clear - clients come first. Q4 is always intense, but this year there's a noticeable lift across the market. After a year of slower deal flow, activity is finally picking up again. PitchBook data shows PE exits rose across the summer to their highest monthly level of 2025 so far, with new sell-side mandates increasing each month since May," says Carrie Osman, CEO and founder of Cruxy, a private equity growth intelligence firm. The role of technology in closing the year and sprinting ahead into 2026 was also a strong theme. Osman highlights how tech powers competitive advantage. "We refuse to treat technology as a buzzword. Our proprietary Cortex platform is the backbone of how we deliver data-first insights that shape smarter client decisions." The other side of that equation is their people. "Standards matter. No matter how fast we grow, our culture of accountability, drive to impact and excellence remains non-negotiable. The 'Cruxy way' means showing up curious, consistent, and committed - that's how we stay ahead of the curve." Looking forward, Osman says Cruxy is "doubling down on how we leverage AI to drive both performance and value - not just efficiency, but intelligence."

This mindset of harnessing AI not simply for automation, but to deepen insight and drive smarter outcomes, also resonates with Vivan Shridharani, co-founder and CCO at Raindrop, the pension-finding platform. Shridharani describes a deliberate push to "increase our technological, operational, and business investment in AI to deliver the enhanced features clients need." This investment supports their mission to reunite savers with lost pensions - over £800m recovered so far - and sets the stage to surpass the £1bn mark soon.

Customer-Centricity as the North Star
Despite technological leaps, the laser focus on real customer problems remains paramount. Cresswell underscores this by highlighting TEG's competitive edge: "Our advantage comes from solving real problems that our customers actually face - the payment challenges that have constrained logistics operators for decades. Delivering genuine value and building lasting relationships creates sustainable differentiation."

Similarly, Jon Robson, CEO of medical cannabis company Mamedica, talks about how patient needs are driving their year-end focus. "Our patient base has grown by over 100% in the last year. Our priority is strengthening our digital healthcare platform to make access to treatment even more seamless. This also involves optimising our supply chain to maintain an uninterrupted source of high-quality CBPMs for our growing number of patients." Robson is doubling down on accessibility as a key strategic lever: "Following our recent funding round, we're introducing a lower-cost pricing model to make treatment more affordable. We aim to stay ahead not by cutting corners, but by widening access - proving that premium clinical care and affordability can coexist." Robson points out that "November always feels like the sprint before the finish line," yet for them, it's really about preparing the pace for the year ahead.

Building Culture and Protecting People
End-of-year pressures can be intense, but all four leaders emphasise the importance of sustaining their teams through this demanding period. Osman describes how Cruxy manages the relentless Q4 pace: "We encourage the team to zoom out and see the bigger picture - the progress made, lessons learned, and opportunities ahead. That perspective turns fatigue into focus. Our Friday team drinks aren't just social - they're a reset." Shridharani adds how Raindrop's culture of collaboration is key to maintaining motivation and innovation under pressure: "We are in constant dialogue with our team, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages feedback across all levels. Recently, we held a company-wide hackathon empowering team members to take leadership roles - many winning ideas are now part of our product and strategic roadmap. This helps colleagues to see the impact of their effort and continued innovation." At Mamedica, Robson acknowledges that working in healthcare means the stakes are always high and he stresses compassion: "Our dedicated team supports patients with chronic conditions who rely on consistent care all year round. I feel like our entire team takes that responsibility deeply, and that's what keeps everyone focused rather than fatigued." He goes on to say that the team works hard, celebrates wins, stays flexible, and values empathy as much as ambition. Cresswell echoes this sentiment with a warning. "When you're building for the long term you can't afford to burn people out."

Looking Ahead
All leaders share a conviction that Q4 is not just a frantic dash, but a strategic sprint that sets the tone for the year ahead. As Osman puts it: "We don't just want to finish the year well - we want to start the next one already ahead." With smart tech investments, customer-first thinking, and a strong culture that balances ambition with care, these companies are not just surviving the year-end crunch - they're using it to build lasting advantage. End-of-year planning requires more than crossing off tasks; it demands disciplined execution, strategic foresight, and a relentless focus on the human element. As these leaders show, by aligning technology, customer needs, and team wellbeing, companies can close 2025 with strength and step into 2026 ready to lead.