It’s October, and apparently we’re supposed to be done with 2026 already.

Everywhere you look, people are talking about 2027 goals, 2027 business planning, new offers, new strategies, and everything we’re going to do “next year.” Meanwhile, we’re over here wondering: Can we finish THIS year first? 😂 Because the fourth quarter isn’t just a waiting room for January.

In this episode of Solopreneur CEO, Carin and Marcia are talking about Q4 business planning, year-end goals, and why solopreneurs shouldn’t mentally write off the last few months of the year just because everyone else has moved on to planning for the next one.

Three months is enough time to make meaningful changes in your business. Even if you’re listening with only 60 or 75 days left in the year, you can still finish the website, improve your client onboarding, fix a bottleneck, build a system, make an offer, reconnect with your audience, or finally implement something that has been sitting on your business goals list for months.

That doesn’t mean ignoring your business data or refusing to plan for 2027. In fact, Q4 is a great time to review what happened during the first nine months of the year. Which offers worked? Which didn’t? What happened with your revenue goals? Which marketing channels are still producing results? What did you say you wanted to accomplish back in January, and does it even still matter?

The difference is using that information to make better decisions now, instead of automatically deciding that every change, project, or new goal has to wait until January.

We also talk about Black Friday and Cyber Monday marketing and whether discounting your services is actually an effective Q4 sales strategy. We discuss the difference between throwing another generic discount onto the internet and strategically creating an offer for the people already in your ecosystem.

Most importantly, we’re talking about how to close out the year in a way that actually supports the business and life you want to build. You can start planning for 2027 while still giving your 2026 goals enough space to mature. You can decide what still deserves your attention, what you can realistically complete before December 31, and what you’re intentionally choosing to release.

You don’t need to hustle your way through the end of the year or manufacture some dramatic “finish strong” moment. But you also don’t need to give away the time you still have.

Use Q4 intentionally. Finish what matters. Release what doesn’t. And give your future self a much better starting point for the year ahead.

🎙️ Episode 32: Stop Acting Like the Year Is Already Over

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