Green... Red… Orange… Brown… The Autumn Reset.

And it’s almost a wrap! 

 

The long summer holidays are almost at an end and the bustle of children going back to school, making room for your legs under your desk and life becoming ‘normal’ again is soon going to be reality. And your holiday? A memory of photos on your phone. As home life returns to that normality, your business may suddenly have to accelerate especially if it has been gently chugging along over the summer. Reality check: You can’t afford to be left behind in the autumn. There seems to be a sense of irony as now the fast pace needed, is to be able to slow down for the next big break: Christmas! 

 

And yet why do we hang onto those summer vibes instead of embracing the new season? Is it because we know that we have to change gears but we want the relaxtion of summer? As those long summer evenings start to shorten, become cooler and I grab that ‘take the chill off the air’ cardigan, I embrace the new season and use what is going to be a good business ‘fit’. I accept that autumn is upon me. New autumnal colours represent new business opportunities. New expectations, fresh ideas, better contacts and an opportunity to have a business reset. 

 

Now. Fast. Shift. Brain. Gears. Move. 

 

Preparation has to happen for the next quarter, and dare I say it, Christmas. It is all about forward planning - what can I do to ensure growth and development? For me this started before the 'shock' of autumn as I enlisted the help of a web designer to build a new website ready for September. Contrary to what I usually do, as I waited for the website to go live, I played ‘the laptop avoidance game’ even though my diary reminded me that there was work to do. It was as if the website would be the magical power I needed to become less sloth-like. That was until the Monday that my web designer, with infinite patience, sat with me to teach me how to make changes to this new creation he had birthed. Whilst I waited for our afternoon appointment, my internal brain switch flicked and my laptop and I were one again. The relief and delight that I was back in the swing of things was palliable. I’m back! Not like The Terminator, but me! Coach, mentor, business speaker, workshop creator. Me! Doing what I love. Autumn was suddenly looking inviting and exciting!  

 

What do you do to reset for maximum impact? Slide back into work? Arrive to fanfare? Sit down and get on with it? Do you have a coach, mentor, friend who walks the road with you and assists with moving your business up a few gears? 

 

From a business perspective, the post-summer period isn't just about getting back to normal; it's an unparalleled opportunity to re-evaluate, refine, and reignite your strategies for the final part of the calendar year. What do you want to achieve before, dare I say it, Christmas and 2026? Break it down into three simple steps that are both cathartic and liberating:  

 

 

Keep those campaigns that were successful and repackage them as a perfect ‘Christmas Special Offer’. Redesign a summer offer as an autumn one and change the discount you may offer. Reengage with excellent clients that are still on your radar but have been quiet and offer them something unique. For me I will be continuing my successful complimentary lunchtime sessions but the evening ones will be reduced to once a month from October. More clients require me to free up time. Paying clients take priority and as a result I have need to be ruthless with what is in the diary.  

 

It’s fairly easy to decide what stays and what goes. No bookings. Removed! My booked workshops are all planned and ready to be delivered. And I need to declutter my digital sphere. Tidying and deleting useless files to continue the harmonious relationship tbetween my laptop and me. I genuinely keep my laptop files in good order but during busier times it’s easy to forget what needs to be moved and where. Often it’s just the simple, ordinary, mundane changes that we make that cause the biggest shift and results in outstanding results. 

 

So what am I going to do in the dying days of summer and the start of autumn besides a quick trip to London for a 70th birthday and a holiday up north that will culminate in a meeting of about 80+ Old English Sheepdogs? 

 

I’ll be singing from some of the social media giants Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn that my new website is live and looks more than brilliant; designing new content and collaborating with an exciting coach for a series of March 2026 events in London; Christmas specials; decide which networking meetings I’ll be attending; make sure that all my events between September and December are live on Eventbrite; prepare my slot for the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce breakfast; quietly work through the ‘to do’ list; not panic about what needs to be done and finally plan Christmas! 

 

In between all of the above, I will examine at my Google analytics (the boredom is real) because I have to have insight into how my business is performing and what can be improved. It’s the same with social media: when are people engaging so I gain maximum impact. Do I always get it right? Oh, I wish I did. Getting it wrong just means, what someone recently told me, ‘it’s another learning curve.’ It may mean designing a fresh way to promote myself and my business. I want people to be able to relate to me, trust me and want to work with me. As a coach, I want to work with and help others to develop and enjoy their full potential.  

 

The summer holidays provide a natural pause, a collective deep breath. By approaching the autumn as a strategic reset, rather than just a return, businesses can harness refreshed energy, optimise their operations, and set a powerful trajectory for a strong finish to the year.  

 

Embrace the change, refine your approach, and watch your business flourish. And be default, so will you. 

 

And on that note, it’s time to send those follow-up emails, phone my clients and prepare for new colours that are about to come. 

 

Next time: Watching those old television shows…