THE YEAR
OF ALMOST
Every consulting firm has a list of deals they almost won, relationships they almost activated, and opportunities that almost became meaningful. The Year of Almost isn't about blame. It's about recognition — and the clarity that comes from looking honestly at what could have gone differently.
Reflection + recognition of what could have been different.
For consulting firm founders and senior leaders
David Nour
CEO, AVNIR & Author, Relationship Economics®
The most expensive lessons of 2026 aren't the ones that failed loudly.
They're the ones that almost worked — the deals that got close, the relationships that nearly activated, the opportunities that faded quietly before anyone named them.
Most consulting firms close the year by looking at what they won and what they lost. Very few look carefully at what they almost won — and what made the difference. Near-misses are the most instructive data in your entire business. They reveal the relationship gaps that cost real revenue, the moments where a different decision or a deeper connection would have changed the outcome, and the patterns that separate progress from potential. Closing the year with clarity — not regret — means being willing to look at those moments honestly, extract the lessons, and carry them forward with intention.
- •Deals that got close but didn't close — and the relationship gaps that made the difference
- •Relationships that were almost activated — and the missed moments that let them go dormant again
- •Opportunities that faded before anyone named them — invisible losses that never made it onto the pipeline report
- •Patterns that repeat year after year — because near-misses are never studied, only survived
The Year of Almost isn't a failure story. It's a clarity story.
The firms that grow fastest into the new year are the ones that close this one with the most honest understanding of what actually happened — and what they're going to do differently because of it.
See What Honest Year-End Reflection Looks Like
David Nour walks through how consulting firms extract the real lessons from their near-misses, surface the patterns that separate progress from potential, and use year-end clarity to build a stronger foundation for what comes next.
What you'll examine in this session
This isn't a year-end recap or a motivational close-out session.
It's an honest examination of the moments that mattered most in 2026 — the wins, the near-misses, and the patterns that connect them — so you can close the year with clarity and enter 2027 with a fundamentally different foundation.
Save Your SpotWins Worth Celebrating
A structured look at what actually worked in 2026 — the relationship investments that paid off, the moments of leverage that created disproportionate impact, and the progress worth acknowledging before moving on.
Near-Miss Analysis
How to examine the deals that almost closed, the relationships that almost activated, and the opportunities that faded — and extract the specific relationship gaps that made the difference.
Pattern Recognition
The patterns that separate the firms making consistent progress from those cycling through the same near-misses year after year — and how to identify which pattern your firm is living inside.
The Bridge to 2027
How to carry the lessons of 2026 forward with intention — not as resolutions, but as structural commitments that change the decisions you make in January and the results you see by December.
Close the year with clarity, not regret.
Enter 2027 with a foundation built on what you actually learned.
Who this is for
This session is designed for:
Consulting Firm Founders
Who want to close 2026 with honest clarity — not just a revenue summary, but a real understanding of what the year revealed about their firm's relationship gaps and growth potential.
Managing Partners
Who recognize that the same near-misses keep appearing year after year — and are ready to examine the patterns behind them rather than simply moving on to the next annual planning cycle.
Senior Leaders & Principals
Who want to enter 2027 with a stronger foundation — built not on optimism, but on the specific lessons that 2026 earned them the hard way.
If 2026 had moments that almost went differently, this session will help you understand exactly what those moments were trying to teach you.
What you'll walk away with
By the end of this session, you'll have:
A near-miss analysis framework — a structured way to examine the deals and relationships that almost worked, and extract the specific gaps that made the difference
A pattern recognition lens — the ability to see which patterns in your firm's BD and relationship behavior are producing consistent near-misses, and which ones are producing compounding wins
A wins inventory — a clear accounting of what actually worked in 2026, so the progress doesn't get lost in the noise of what didn't
A bridge to 2027 — the specific commitments, not resolutions, that carry the lessons of this year forward into structural changes that actually alter the trajectory of the next one
Clarity at year-end. Momentum at year-start. The bridge between them starts here.
"The Year of Almost isn't about blame — it's about recognition. And recognition is where every meaningful change begins."
The most valuable data in your business isn't what you won or lost. It's what almost happened — and why it didn't. The firms that grow fastest into the new year are the ones that close this one with the most honest understanding of what 2026 actually revealed.
This is a chance to close the year with clarity, not regret — and to carry that clarity into everything that comes next.
Join Us for The Year of Almost
-
Tuesday, December 15th
2026
-
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
60 Minutes
-
Year-End Clarity Guide
Near-miss analysis framework & 2027 bridge commitments included
-
LinkedIn Live
Register to receive the event link
Can't make it live? Register anyway and we'll send you the replay.
Reserve Your Seat
We respect your privacy.
Someone (Location)
just registered for The Year of Almost
See What We Are Building At Avnir That Will Take Your Relationships To The Next Level!
