December can feel strange in the career coaching world.
Half your LinkedIn feed is off sipping mulled wine and talking about their “word for the year,” while the other half is launching into orbit like their entire business depends on closing Q4 with a bang.
And then there’s you — somewhere in the middle.
You’re wrapping up projects, sending “are you still planning to move forward?” emails, and gently nudging clients to think about their January job search… all while wrapping presents and trying to figure out if you should be doing more or less.
It’s been a tough year in career coaching, and in most consulting and knowledge-based businesses, so the temptation to throw one last Hail Mary out into the market and launch something new is real.
I’m here to give you permission not to do that, and while you don’t want to disappear completely, it’s also not a time to go gangbusters on new things in an attempt to be shinier than an ornament on a tree.
Why?
Because future clients are watching.
They’re reflecting. Browsing. Searching. Mentally preparing to “get serious” in January.
No amount of messaging will ever get our audiences to take our advice and start preparing for a new-year search now, but regardless of now or next month, we want to be the ones they remember when they come out of the woodwork ready to rock ‘n roll.
Visibility Isn’t About Noise — It’s About Trust
There’s a big misconception that staying visible during the holidays means slinging last-minute offers, shouting into the void, or manufacturing urgency. While Q4 can be an incredible runway to set up success for the new year, December isn’t Q4.
If you didn’t start running in October, then it isn’t time to enter the race. It’s time to strengthen and set-up for what’s to come. The best way to do that is to show up with consistency, feel credible, and be there.
That kind of presence builds trust, and trust is what people buy from.
This Isn’t Launch Time. It’s Listen Time.
If you didn’t sprint through the end of this year, don’t plan to start running in January. Settle into your foundation and use this time to listen closely to your audience.
What are people talking about in your client calls, your DMs, your communities?
Where are they stuck, stressed, or hopeful?
Use what you hear to quietly refine your Q1 messaging, build content that lands, and tweak the offers that speak to what your audience is actually experiencing.
How to Show Up Without Burning Out
Still want to stay active without launching anything big? Here’s your “keep the lights on” plan for the next few weeks:
1. Reconnect, Don’t Pitch
The holidays are a natural time for human connection, so take a dose of our own medicine and use this time to network!
Send a note to past clients or collaborators just to say hello, happy holidays, or “thank you for being part of my year.”
No pitch. No CTA. Just presence.
Try this: Pick three people each week to reconnect with. Bonus if it feels like the kind of thing AI couldn’t write.
2. Recycle, Don’t Reinvent
If you’ve created good content this year, reuse it. Pull a quote from a past post. Reshare a testimonial. Summarize a podcast episode.
People aren’t looking for hot takes in December—they’re looking for signs of trust.
Try this: Choose 2–3 high-performing posts from the year and repurpose them into holiday-friendly, soft-touch content.
3. Seed, Don’t Sell
You may not be actively enrolling clients right now—but you can still plant the idea.
Remind your audience what you do, who you serve, and what’s coming in 2026.
Try this: Post a quick “behind the scenes” or “what I’m working on” update. A light teaser now builds anticipation later.
4. Reflect, Don’t Rewrite
You don’t need to overhaul your business before January, but you can take a minute to reflect on what’s worked this year—especially the things that no one else sees.
Ask yourself:
- What felt surprisingly easy this year?
- Where did I show up most fully as myself?
- What am I proud of that didn’t show up in a metric?
Then, share one of those insights with your audience. They probably need the reminder too.
Your Presence Is the Strategy
December isn’t dead space. It’s prep space.
If you show up now with the consistent signals your clients need to remain gnal—you’ll be top of mind when the real demand wave hits in late January.
Because yes, the “New Year, New Career” crowd is coming.
But they’re not ready to commit yet.
They’re lurking. Lurking with intention. Lurking with hope. Lurking while they finish baking cookies and half-heartedly scroll LinkedIn from their in-laws’ couch.
And if they see you? Calm, grounded, present, and prepared?
They’ll come back. Ready to work.
Your Challenge This Month
Before the out-of-office replies flood your inbox, take 30 minutes and ask yourself:
- Who do I want to remember me in January?
- What do I want to be known for when that time comes?
- What’s the lowest-lift way I can show up this month that aligns with that?
Put it on your calendar. And then? Let it be enough.
You don’t need to hustle through the holidays. Stay present in a way that supports your future self and the people who need you next.
Still here. Still human. Still doing it your way.
That’s what I call a strong finish.
Your Friend and Coach,
Angie Callen, PCC, CPCC, CERW, CPRW
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