As the summer winds down...
If you’ve been enjoying the slower pace the past few weeks, you’re not alone. A lot of us used the summer to reset, catch up, and just breathe a little. But now we’re staring down that familiar moment when the energy shifts. This issue is all about helping you get ready before everything speeds back up. The requests are coming, and hopefully some projects too! Either way the pressure is slowly building. But there’s still time to get ahead of it.
Getting Ready for the Post-Summer Rush
Right now, things probably still feel manageable. A little quiet. A little space to breathe. Some clients are still out. Some team members, too. The calendar isn’t packed yet, and the inbox hasn’t fully woken up. But if you’ve done this as long as I have, you know what’s coming. We’re about to flip from “summer mode” into the chaos of the fall push. And it always happens faster than you think.
What’s different about this transition is that it’s not one big dramatic shift. It sneaks in. One client email that starts with “hope your summer’s been great,” followed by five asks. One project that was paused suddenly becomes urgent again. Team members come back from PTO ready to dive in, but not always in sync with what’s changed while they were gone. If you’re not ready, it hits hard. So here’s how to get ready.
1. Align the team before they get buried.
Everyone’s coming back at a different pace, with different energy. Some people are rested, some are disoriented, and some are already stressed about what’s ahead. Before the client work picks up, get everyone on the same page. What’s in flight? What’s stalled? What needs unblocking? What did we commit to that’s about to become a fire drill? Even a quick stand-up or team sync can give everyone a reset point. This isn’t about micromanaging. It’s about making sure nobody walks into a wall because they weren’t looking up.
2. Reconnect with clients who’ve been quiet.
There’s always that handful of clients who went silent in July. Not gone, just out of office, enjoying summer with their kids or trying to recharge. They’re coming back with a new sense of urgency and probably a list of ideas. Now’s the time to get ahead of it. Reach out before they do. Ask what’s coming, what’s changed, what they need from you. Showing up with intention before they reappear in a panic sets the tone and gives you a chance to guide the conversation instead of reacting to it.
3. Audit what’s hanging open.
There’s a weird energy that builds around half-done work. A proposal that never got signed. A campaign that was “almost done.” A client who gave feedback and then disappeared. Take a half-day and get it all in one place. What’s worth reviving? What should be closed out? What’s just noise? Don’t carry dead weight into the busy season. The longer unfinished business lingers, the more it drains you. Clean it up now while there’s still time.
4. Re-establish your own rhythm.
Summer throws most routines off track. Maybe you were more flexible with your hours, worked around travel, or let your calendar stay light on purpose. That’s good. But the fall push requires structure. If you don’t set it, others will do it for you. Block the hours you need to think. Reserve the mornings you need for deep work. Protect your afternoons if that’s when you meet with clients. Whatever version of a healthy rhythm works for you, lock it in before the flood.
5. Get clear on your priorities.
This is the most important one. When everything speeds up, the risk isn’t just getting busy, it’s getting busy with the wrong things. Take some time and look at the next 90 days. What are you building toward? What’s most likely to create momentum or stability for the agency? Where do you need to say no, or at least not now? The clearer you are, the easier it is to lead. Because your team is going to take their cues from you. If you’re frantic and reactive, they will be too. But if you’re steady and focused, they’ll fall into that rhythm instead.
The agencies that finish the year strong won’t be the ones that hustle the hardest. They’ll be the ones that took a minute to get organized before the noise started. This is your chance. Lock in your focus, align your people, and step into the next wave with a plan. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be ready.
If you’ve got a little space right now, use it wisely. Clean up, refocus, and get your team in sync before the wave of activity hits. The next few months are going to move fast. A little clarity now can save a lot of chaos later.