The pumpkins are out, the goals you wrote down in January are staring back at you, and Q4 starts October 1st. If you're a Christian woman entrepreneur wondering what's still worth doing before the year ends, this is the Q4 planning for small business rhythm I come back to every fall. It'll help you finish this year well and lay the groundwork for next year while there's still time to act on it.
Grab a notebook. This one comes with action steps.
What you'll learn
- Why looking back comes first, and how an Ebenezer stone turns a simple wins list into worship
- The two-column exercise that sorts what's left into Still Aligned and Let It Go, plus a way to save next-year ideas without losing them
- A one-hour year-end brand check: where your best clients came from, what your website still says about you, and how to collect testimonials that actually sell
- What October, November, and December are each good for, including how to decide about Black Friday well before Thanksgiving night
- Why a rebrand or new website for next year needs a decision in Q4
Episode highlights
Timestamps are estimates. Check them against the final edited audio.
[00:00] Fall in Texas and the "where did the year go?" feeling [02:00] Welcome, and the one question this episode hangs on [04:30] Step 1: Look back first, with Samuel's Ebenezer stone and your three wins [08:00] Step 2: Still Aligned or Let It Go, and permission to mourn what didn't work out [11:30] Step 3: The year-end brand check, from client sources to testimonials [15:30] Step 4: October to build, November to serve, December to rest [20:30] Step 5: Three intentions, what God did in my business this year, and a recap
Q4 planning for small business: questions this episode answers
When should I start planning next year? In Q4. Waiting until December or the second week of January means you're planning from exhaustion, and a strong first quarter needs groundwork laid in the fall.
Is December a slow month for sales? Not for everyone. People who want to start the new year with a new brand or website are researching in November and December, so your website needs to be ready to meet them.
When should I book a rebrand or new website? If it's on next year's list, decide in Q4. Designers book out ahead, and you don't want a brand project landing on top of your busiest season.
Quote to remember"Moving something to the right-hand column is clarity, and clarity is progress."Resources mentioned
- 1 Samuel 7:12, the Ebenezer stone
- "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" (the hymn line "Here I raise my Ebenezer")
- Free Brand Audit Scorecard: jantouchberry.com/scorecard
Your next step
Ready to turn your notes into a real plan? Grab the free Q4 planning guide and map out the last three months of your year.
Get the Q4 planning guide: jantouchberry.com/q4planning
Want to see how your brand and website are holding up before next year? Take the free Brand Audit Scorecard: jantouchberry.com/scorecard
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ABOUT THE HOST:
Jan Touchberry is a brand strategist, marketing consultant, and founder of The Brand Collaborative. She helps women entrepreneurs build profitable businesses with clear messaging, strategic funnels, and aligned visibility.
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