5 Things Every Solopreneur Should Do for Their Business This Autumn

Autumn is a tricky time of year. Summer is over, and things suddenly start to ramp up after everyone has rested; for working parents, especially those working from home, everything is quieter, and you can focus a bit better (save for the endless emails from school). 

It’s also when the end of the year moves to the forefront of everyone’s mind in business, and thoughts of Christmas and planning for the new year take over. So rather than waiting for the December rush, I’ve pulled together five things I think are necessary for a smooth end of year and start to the new.

1. Take care of yourself as the seasons change, for you and your business

Unfortunately for us all, running a business doesn't make us immune to the change of seasons as much as we would like, especially at this time of year. It's so, so, so important to take care of yourself for the next few months. Not just for yourself, but for your business too - after all, you are the most important asset to your business, so you need to factor yourself into your end-of-year plan.

Darker mornings and evenings can affect your body clock, sleep and energy levels and seasonal transitions can be especially noticeable for some neurodivergent people.

Seasonal illnesses are doing the rounds again. Vitamin D drops with less sun, and some people experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can be difficult to manage throughout Autumn and Winter.

So before we get into what your business needs, make sure you account for everything you might need to for both your physical and mental health:

• Get outside during daylight hours where you can

• Pay attention to whether your energy or concentration changes with the seasons 

• Keep your sleep routine as consistent as possible 

• Give yourself some breathing room during cold and flu season instead of filling every week to capacity

• If you notice significant or persistent changes in your mood or wellbeing, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional. 

• Most importantly, give yourself compassion and grace if you can’t function as you would at other times of the year. 

Here are some numbers you can call in the UK if you are struggling with your mental health in Autumn / Winter Time.

2. Audit as much as you can up to this point in 2026

By Autumn, you should have almost a year's worth of information and insights to work with, so now is the time to sit down and look at what's working and what isn't in your business. Things like:

• Services or products aren’t selling well

• What takes up more time than it’s worth

• Any processes that no longer work

• Anything you’re still paying for (software/subscriptions) that you don’t need

• Where are enquiries coming from

• Where is marketing successful, and where is it letting you down

• What jobs don’t need you and where you can delegate

All of these are worth looking at, but they're not the only things, so look at as much as you can, then adapt your 2027 plan as needed. It won't only save you money in the new year; it will support your business growth and make the transition so much smoother.

3. Review your finances, budget and tax expenses

Check where your business stands financially before the year-end push. 

Review what you’ve spent so far, where your commitments are, what you have left to put aside for tax for January, and what’s left over to use where it’s needed most. You may need to set aside a little more in the budget, especially if you’re planning Christmas campaigns (which you should already be planning), company events, and, of course, a bigger marketing push. 

It’s also worth clearing out any outstanding financial admin and checking in with your accountant, if you have one, about anything tax-related that needs your attention before December (like your self assessment if you haven't completed it already). You don’t want December to be the first time you’ve been looking at the numbers since summer, so make sure to fit this into your schedule. 

Better safe than sorry, I always say.

3. Prepare for the Christmas period

Now for the one everyone dreads. I promise it’s not too soon to talk about it. 

Christmas has a habit of starting around now, once autumn starts, so it’s time to look at what the last few months of the year will involve. Think about:

• Any Christmas campaigns you may have coming up

• Any company or client events to celebrate 

• Gifting team members and clients

• Black Friday sales or seasonal marketing offers

• Important dates and deadlines that need to go in the diary now 

It’s also worth thinking about annual leave and Christmas closures, whether yours, your team’s, and anyone else you regularly work with. 

Then map out what you can start on now and what can wait. Schedule emails and content, maybe set up automations for repetitive tasks and get as much prep done as you reasonably can before December. 

You’ll still have things to do when Christmas get closer, obviously, but ideally you won’t be designing a Christmas campaign on December 1st wondering how it got to this point.

5. Get some help with it all for now, and beyond

And finally, if you’ve got this far and realised there’s actually quite a lot you’d like to get sorted before the end of the year, this is your friendly reminder that you don’t have to do it all yourself. 

An Executive Assistant can take some of that work off your plate, whether that’s getting the diary organised, setting up automoations, researching and booking Christmas events, coordinating with suppliers and scheduling things in advance - the list goes on. 

Autumn is a much better time to bring in support than waiting until you’re already knee-deep in the stress of December, so look at your list and ask yourself what really needs you and what you can hand over to someone else. You might be surprised how much you could hand over.

Don't pressure yourself to have EVERYTHING in perfect order

You don’t need to have everything wrapped in a perfect bow before the end of the year, but some preparation now can make the next few months a lot easier. 

If reading this has made you realise you could do with another pair of hands, I’m happy to help. If you’d like executive assistant support to get your business organised and take some things off your plate, get in touch and let’s chat about working together. If you'd like to find out more about my services, visit here.

About Katie, Executive Assistant and Founder of Katie Rodwell Remote Executive Assistance

Meet Katie! Your executive assistant and behind-the-scenes support for your small business. She’s also your personal cheerleader because we all need an extra clap to keep things moving.

And she’ll be the first to remind you to celebrate yourself, too.

If you're looking to outsource tasks such as admin, social media, calendar management, email management, and more, book a free consultation below.