Fourth Quarter Thoughts
Amongst the various business owners groups I’ve heard many experts talking about ramping up and smashing your goals in the 4th quarter of 2023, kickstarting your new year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday incentives, new funnels and automation that you simply must have. To an overworked,
overstimulated business owner that’s been working hard all year, it’s another brick on the pile of things you’ve been holding up.Constantly recruiting, constantly looking at new systems, software, and all the shiny buttons around us, all the sales and emails with curriculum music, conventions - it is a lot. As I am bombarded daily with these messages, I find myself contracting and looking towards a simpler solution.
What about an end to the frenzy and desperation? What if on Thanksgiving we find friends and loved ones to be thankful for instead of launching an epic marketing campaign? What would it take to boldly stop? How would you and others react to rest? How much clearer would you be thinking if there weren’t so many competing messages and sleepless nights? How much
more brilliant would your business be if you had the peace of mind and clarity that comes from taking the off-ramp from “the grind”?So, here we are, it’s the final quarter of 2023, and you have a choice. You can choose your hours, your boundaries, your customers, your next marketing campaign. Stand firm in what you know in your heart is the right direction for you and your studio. Unsubscribe, unfollow, and block your distractions and triggers. If you want to try a Black Friday deal, go for it in your own style. If you’d rather wind down and use the end of the year to reflect on all that you have accomplished, go for it. If you’re afraid of resting because of the guilt of feeling lazy, know that you can be your own harshest critic.
Now, consider what a strong businessperson has and does. They have clarity of vision, they have boundaries, they identify and remove distractions, they have clear messaging, they generate plans and marketing based on data from their own business, they are calm and capable of handling complex situations, and they are resilient. All these attributes are inside of you, dear studio Owner. You have the power to create the plans for the next three months - how will you honor yourself and your needs and desires this fourth quarter?
Ginger Haithcox is a born leader. She graduated with high honors from Douglass College, Rutgers University with a BA in Religion, and a minor in Cultural Anthropology and completed an array of dance, performance, and production courses at Raritan Valley Community College.
Ginger is a consummate professional, collaborative team player, and creative colleague that consistently delivers programs and products of excellence. In addition to the above, she’s the principal owner of Haithcox Business Solutions, which offers mentoring and support services for aspiring entrepreneurs.