The Stories We Tell Ourselves Every Season and Why They’re Wrong

It’s February. Are you feeling it yet?

The holidays are over. The “new year, new me” phase has run its course. Depending on where you live, the weather is probably gloomy. And let’s be honest, the first quarter in our industry can feel financially brutal.

For years, I dreaded February and March in business. They were my least favorite months. February is too short, and March feels like an eternity of no leads.

Sound familiar?

This year, I decided I’m done carrying around the same subconscious myths. Done repeating them. Done letting them set the tone before the month even starts.

If you are anything like me, you are going to want to print this, share it with your team, and keep it close because every quarter comes with its own “stories.” Stories we tell ourselves… and stories the world tells us… about why we can’t hit our numbers.

Let’s stop believing them.

Q1 (January–March)

Myth: “People have no money. It’s a short month. It’s shoulder season.”

You’ve heard all of these:

• January: “Everyone spent their money during the holidays.”
• February: “It’s too short — we can’t hit our goals.”
• March: “It’s shoulder season — nobody’s calling.”

I’m calling bologna. And here’s why:

1.     January: “People have no money.”

If people truly had no money, they wouldn’t be calling you to their home.

Sometimes we forget one simple truth: they called us.

We didn’t knock on their door and insist on coming in. They called because they have a problem and they want it fixed. If we don’t help them make a decision, the problem doesn’t magically disappear… it just gets solved by someone else.

As professionals, we have to get the money noise out of our heads. People often have the money; they just want to feel confident they’re spending it wisely. That’s our job. Not to pressure them… but to guide them.

2.     February: “It’s a short month.”

Yes… It’s short by one or two days.

Can one or two days make or break a month? Absolutely. But the real question is: what are we doing ahead of time to prepare for that?

Go into February with the mindset of scheduling one extra call per day, maybe even two, and you can make up that revenue without panic. February doesn’t have to be a “slow month.” It just has to be a planned month.

3.     March: “It’s shoulder season.”

Ah, shoulder season when the weather is perfect, people are outside, and HVAC isn’t top of mind.

But here’s the thing: if you go into March expecting the board to be light… it will be.

If you go into March expecting to fill the board every day… you’ll fight for it.

March is your time to go heavy on outbound. Get your whole team involved, especially your call center. This is the best time for competitions:

• Who makes the most outbound calls?
• Who books the most calls?
• Who sells the most memberships?

Make it fun. Set daily goals. Create a scoreboard. Celebrate wins.

Because I promise you this: the more people you involve in filling the dispatch board, the fuller it gets.

Q2 (April–June)

Myth: “Everyone’s distracted — school’s out and nobody wants to spend.”

Spring is here. The sun comes out. People feel hopeful again. And in a lot of markets, the school system is one of the largest employers.

So what happens?

People start checking out mentally. They’re planning summer. Pool days. Beach trips. The last thing on their mind is improving their home.

But you can change that narrative.

This is the season to run promotions built around convenience and preparation, like:

• Quick turnaround service;
• “While you’re enjoying your break, let us take care of your home;” and
• “Get ready for summer before summer gets here”

The messaging matters:

Don’t sell them a project, sell them peace of mind.

Let the stress of the school year end… not shift into the stress of an HVAC breakdown when it’s 95° outside.

Q3 (July–September)

Myth: “Vacation mode kills momentum.”

This is where consistency gets tested.

We chose an industry where the “go time” happens during the season when vacations are everywhere. That creates two challenges:

1.     Staffing becomes harder.

2.    The FOMO inside your company becomes real because everyone’s seeing sunny social media posts while your team is sweating through a 12-hour day.

And customers? They’re vacationing too. They want strict timelines. They don’t want disruptions.

Here’s how you overcome it:

• Create incentives for your team to work those hot months;
• Keep the culture alive, don’t let summer become survival mode; and
• Offer customer incentives for flexible scheduling.

Something as simple as:

“If we can install this Friday, we’ll include a one-year membership.”

Small incentives reduce scheduling friction and help you protect your momentum.

Q4 (October–December)

Myth: “The holidays make everything harder, especially price objections.”

Summer is over. School is back. The holidays are approaching fast.

This is when price objections can skyrocket because people would rather spend money on gifts than on HVAC, plumbing, or electrical. Many are also still recovering financially from vacations.

This is where training becomes your secret weapon.

Don’t wait until you’re hearing objections daily. Train your team relentlessly in Q4 on:

• How to respond to price hesitation;
• How to explain value clearly; and
• How to present options instead of ultimatums.

And don’t underestimate the power of financing: even on repairs. It can keep projects moving, help you hit year-end targets, and give homeowners breathing room during an expensive season.

Final Thought

Does any of this ring a bell?

Because if it does, you’re not alone. These myths show up every year and they spread fast inside a team.

But here’s the good news: we can overcome all of it. And not with hope… with strategy, mindset, and leadership.

Share this with your team. Print it. Put it on the wall. And the next time you hear one of these myths coming out of someone’s mouth, point to it and say:

“We’ve heard this before… and we’ve got this.”