Our company experiences extreme seasonal demand that does not align with the standard calendar year. How do we adjust the timing of our quarterly and annual sessions to match our business cycle?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

A standard calendar cycle does not fit every business, and forcing a seasonal company into a rigid January through December cadence is counterproductive. We align your session schedule with your actual operational cycle to ensure your planning is highly relevant. Your annual planning session, which is a two-day event, should ideally occur during your slowest season. This timing gives your leadership team the mental space to step back, evaluate the entire business, update your V/TO®, and set your annual plan without being distracted by immediate customer demands. We then schedule your one-day quarterly sessions to occur roughly every ninety days from that point. For example, if your peak operational season runs from June through August, we might schedule your annual planning session in late autumn. Your quarterlies would then fall in winter, spring, and mid-summer. The key is to avoid placing a session day right in the middle of your most chaotic operational weeks. At the same time, we do not want to delay a session because of busy schedules. The discipline of the ninety-day cycle must be maintained. By customizing the start of your annual cycle to match your seasonal lows, we ensure your team can focus on the business when it matters most, allowing you to execute your plan with maximum clarity when your busiest season arrives.