Most leaders like to plan with confidence. But this year's Business & Economic Outlook panel reminded us that confidence doesn't come from certainty. It comes from preparation.
When we polled 250+ CEOs and business owners about their 2026 outlook, the overwhelming majority voted for continued growth. Zero hands went up for recession. But here's what mattered more than the vote itself: nobody was planning based on predictions. They were planning based on readiness.
Across every conversation, one theme was clear: the smartest leaders aren't predicting the future, they're preparing for it. Economic forecasts may shift monthly, but disciplined planning still separates those who adapt from those who react.
Resilient Planning Over Reactive Moves
Today's executives are building plans that bend without breaking. Instead of locking into a single annual budget, they're adopting rolling forecasts and revisiting assumptions quarterly. Flexibility has become the new financial discipline, not a sign of hesitation, but a marker of strong leadership.
The tax landscape just proved this point. The One Big Beautiful Bill passed faster than any recent legislation, from late May to July 4th. Manufacturing won big with immediate R&D expensing, 100% bonus depreciation, and Section 179 limits jumping to $2.5 million. Estate tax exemptions increased to $30 million and were made permanent. Qualified Small Business Stock benefits expanded significantly.
But clean energy investments got hammered as Inflation Reduction Act benefits were rolled back.
Winners and losers emerged in weeks, not years. The companies positioned to capitalize had advisors on speed dial and decision-making frameworks already in place. The ones scrambling are still figuring out what hit them.
It's no longer about betting on one scenario. It's about being ready for any. Those who've built cash cushions, diversified revenue, and strengthened advisor relationships are positioned to move faster when opportunity shows up or when risk arrives uninvited.
The Shift From Forecasting to Frameworks
Traditional forecasting assumes you can predict what's next. Framework thinking assumes you can't—and plans accordingly. That shift changes how companies allocate time and capital.
Leaders are running multiple models instead of a single projection. They're testing what happens if interest rates rise, if borrowing tightens, or if supply costs fluctuate. Banks are now asking about tariff exposure and expecting scenario-based answers showing how your business performs under different conditions.
This isn't busy work. It's survival preparation.
Michael Devereux from Wipfli laid it out plainly: Treasury is issuing guidance on 82 different provisions through January. The volatility isn't slowing down. Companies that wait for clarity before planning will find themselves perpetually behind.
It's less about predicting outcomes and more about understanding thresholds—what the business can absorb and where it needs backup plans. That's not pessimism. It's professional maturity.
Leadership Under Pressure
The panel also highlighted the human side of volatility. When leaders tighten up under uncertainty, teams feel it. Confidence doesn't mean having all the answers. It means showing your team you can make the next right decision, and then the one after that.
The best-led organizations are communicating priorities clearly, sharing rationale openly, and eliminating guesswork for their people. In times like these, clarity is stability.
Joe Chybowski from Bridgewater Bank described the past few years as dealing with the most telegraphed recession that never happened. You can find data to support any narrative—bearish or bullish. What separates strong leadership from reactive management is the ability to focus on business fundamentals regardless of headline noise.
When everything external feels chaotic, internal clarity becomes your competitive advantage.
What This Means for You
Get your advisors in the same room: accountant, lawyer, and financial planner. Not at year-end when planning windows have closed, but now while opportunities remain open.
If you're considering capital expenditures in the next 3-5 years, current tax benefits could be needle-movers. If you're thinking about selling in the next 1-5 years, changes to pass-through entities could make that transition significantly more favorable.
Build rolling forecasts that revisit assumptions quarterly instead of annual budgets that become obsolete by March.
Run multiple scenario models. Understand your thresholds. Know what your business can absorb and where backup plans are needed.
Communicate priorities to your team with clarity and consistency. In uncertain times, your people need to know what matters most and where you're headed—even if the path keeps shifting.
Lesson Learned: You can't control the economy, but you can control your readiness. Great leaders replace prediction with preparation—and that's what keeps their teams steady when the rest of the market wobbles.