The Lord is so, so good to share wisdom, insights, and directions with us in His word and through his natural laws. As a believer in business we have the ability to press fast-forward on our results if we will seek understanding around what to do in our businesses and when. One of the ways we can do that is to identify which of the 4 seasons of business we are in and what actions to take to make the most of that season of opportunity.
In this post we will break down the 4 Seasons of Business for Believers and if you are interested in learning more, I invite you to listen to the CWBB Podcast Episode where we go even deeper. A quick note before we dive in-the seasons of business DO NOT line up perfectly with the months on the calendar! You may be in a winter season of business even if it is the middle of July on the calendar. Taking the time to address your current season and asking the Lord for His wisdom and revelation is an important first step.
Winter in Business
Winter for most entrepreneurs can be a challenging season. We are usually wired for action, new ideas, and nearly-constant motion. With that said, it is very beneficial to set aside dedicated time to rest, renew ourselves in the Lord, and allow new ideas and plans to come to the surface.
Winter seasons in business usually come after busy seasons of work, growth, and “harvest” in our businesses. If not embraced, we can experience burn-out, exhaustion, and avoidance of the work we love, simply because we are worn out. The winter season in business is a gift from the Lord in that it provides the needed rest, retreat, and quiet to allow our brains and bodies to prepare for new growth.
Just as in nature, it may feel like nothing important is happening in winter, but as anyone who has ever tapped a Maple tree in February knows, the sap inside is running strong and fast! When we allow ourselves to rest in the Lord, he gets our sap running again and does the internal work to sustain us for new seasons of ideas, planting, and growth!
3 Most Important Tasks in Winter
1) Rest-The Lord knows what He’s doing and just as he provides rest for the plants of the Earth, he grants us the gift of rest in this season if we choose to embrace it.
2) Plan– Once we are renewed with rest, it’s time to start planning for the Spring that is sure to come. Praying, seeking the Lord, and reading/listening to inspiring books or podcasts is a great way to start planning for new growth.
3) Reviewing past seasons– During the slower pace of Winter, it is wise to spend some time in introspection over what you’ve accomplished thus far, things that went well, things you would like to change, and where you would like to go next.
Spring in Business
If winter is a time for introspection and rest, Spring is a season for new ideas and inspired action! If we have leaned into accepting rest and renewal, our brains will be full to bursting with new ideas and excitement!
All of that energy and inspiration can be very motivating and Spring is marked by a burst of energy to start preparing for new areas of growth and planting the seeds that you will grow in the next stage of business.
The most important to remember in Spring is to resist the urge to rush the process. Just like you would never plant a seed and expect to see a harvest in a week, we must have patience for the growth process and not pluck out our new seeds (leads, new projects, and ideas) in our zeal to see a quick return.
3 Most Important Tasks in Spring
1) Preparing the Soil-While not a very exciting task, it is important to do the prep work to see your new ideas take off. What tech, platforms, help, or skills do you need to have in place in order to see the growth you desire?
2) Planting New Seeds-Ideas are great and all, but growth won’t come if you don’t commit to what you want to plant and actually plant some seeds! Seeds in business look like new offers, programs, new clients you want to nurture, or new strategies to grow to see new harvests.
3) Keeping a Close Eye on Threats– In a garden you’re battling slugs, bugs, and critters. In a business, you’re battling distraction, shiny-object-syndrome, and discouragement. Just as a hungry caterpillar can demolish an entire row of new sprouts, a distracted mind jumping to one idea to the next can decimate a really great idea in its tracks. Be diligent to focus on the seeds you have already planted.
Summer in Business
Most entrepreneurs’ favorite season….summer is a time of action. Long days, jam-packed to-do lists, and lots of growth. The season of summer is marked with increase in almost every area. Increase in leads, systems, team members, work, and challenges. It is marked by seeing the first harvests from your hard work and it is exhilarating to see everything finally coming together!
While the rapid growth is exciting, there are several threats we must be ready for in summer. Drought, pests, weeds, and storms can all pose great danger to all the work we have put in thus far. To thrive through the threats of summer in your business, it is important to set schedules that maintain consistency, implement new systems that aid in productivity, and bring in help when needed!
3 Most Important Tasks in Summer
1) Focused Action-It can be easy to burn out in the heat and demands of summer if you don’t focus on the tasks that are most important and schedule in plenty of small breaks!
2) Watching for Threats-Lack of consistency, burn-out, and distraction are three of the biggest threats for businesses in summer. Being diligent to prepare and prevent threats can greatly multiple your results!
3) Support– Just like a healthy tomato plant, your growing business needs support in order to see the best harvest. Summer is an important time to add the support staff and systems that will allow you to continue to see consistent growth without breaking under the weight.
Autumn in Business
Congratulations! If you are in a season of fall that means that you have successfully navigated the other seasons with grace and skill and it is time to reap your harvest! Autumn is the time to get out there and harvest, but remember, not every crop is mature at the same time!
As a seasoned business owner it is important to get to know the “prime picking” times for your crops. You don’t want to pick tomatoes that are still green or peppers that aren’t fully ripe. Harvest time takes discipline and then focused action. Picked too early and your produce isn’t flavorful or good for much, too late and they rot before they can be put to good use.
Similarly, your clients and customers need to be “harvested” with care. Push them too early and they won’t be ready to get the results they desire. Too late and they will have moved on to someone else. It can take some testing to get this process right, but once you learn the signals, you will be bringing in more business than you know what to do with! (Kind of like zucchinis…. What to do with all that zucchini?!)
3 Most Important Tasks in Autumn
1) Watch for Signs of Ripeness-Learn the signs for when your clients are ready to buy! This is an important skill to hone in order to see the full return on all your work.
2) Harvest when the time is right-Good gardeners harvest frequently to get the greatest hauls. Autumn in your business should be spent with focused time on nurturing your clients/customers through the buying decision as easily and enjoyably as possible!
3) Putting some back for Winter– If you are in a season of Autumn, then Winter is right around the corner. Now that you know it’s coming, be sure to put some extra money in the bank to carry you through the season of rest and reflection without feeling guilt or worry.
How to Make the Most of This Plan
Now that we understand the seasons of business and how to make the most of each one, I encourage you to join our Free Facebook community where you can find video of each season in the Units section and connect with incredible women of faith in various seasons of business to share wisdom and encouragement!
