Fourth quarter isn’t just October through December—it starts now. In this episode, Melissa Franks breaks down why the most successful businesses treat September as the true kickoff to Q4 and how you can use this mindset to set yourself up for a profitable year-end.

Melissa shares insights from industry analysts on consumer behavior this holiday season—what Gen Z, middle-class, and affluent buyers are really planning to spend on—and what that means for your business strategy. From stacking promotions and driving momentum early to preparing for January (yes, January is part of Q4 too), Melissa offers practical, real-world advice to help you thrive, not just survive.

You’ll learn:

• Why Gen Z is prioritizing experiences over products this holiday season
• Which income groups are likely to spend more (and which are tightening their wallets)
• Why you should generate “shock factor” attention and sales in September
• How to use historical data without falling into the trap of copy-paste planning
• Why planning for January now is the hidden key to avoiding a sluggish start in 2026
• The danger of being impatient with short-term sales data—and how to react fast without being reactionary

If you’ve ever felt stressed about hitting your year-end goals, this episode will help you shift your perspective and take intentional action today.

👉 Want help building a plan you can actually execute? Melissa is quietly offering a limited number of 4-hour VIP planning sessions to design your Q4 strategy using her Growth Formula Framework. Book a call: https://calendly.com/oncallcoo/on-call-coo-info-call