Embracing Fall and the Final Quarter

We’re at the end of a short week, and, as usual, I woke up this morning in a mad dash to get my son to school. Whether it’s after a long weekend or during a short week, we always seem to need just one more day to fully recuperate. Last weekend was nice—we attended our family’s annual Labor Day cookout. It’s always great to reconnect with family and catch up with old neighborhood friends.

This morning, despite the rush, the weather was beautiful—a hint of fall in the air. All I could think about was opening the patio doors and sipping a warm drink. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I love my tea. I have a bit of an obsession with coffee mugs—I collect them the way my son collects Amiibos and Rubik's Cubes. Choosing the right mug each morning feels like a ritual, a little tug-of-war to find the one that matches my mood for the day.

After dropping him off at school, I came home, made myself some hot water with lemon, and took a moment to enjoy the crisp breeze a precursor to fall, just before jumping on my weekly Teams call. I absolutely love fall, but of course, work calls.

Fall is the perfect transition from summer: cool mornings where you can wrap up in a light pashmina, followed by afternoons that still offer a touch of warmth from the sun. It’s eventually the best of both worlds, striking that perfect balance—not too hot, not too cold. Just like my hot water with lemon, it's all about finding that equilibrium.

As we prepare for the 4th quarter of the year, for accounting, it’s time to reflect on the first third of the year and everything that’s happened. Now, we enter that final stretch, the last marathon to wrap everything up. After the hustle and bustle of reviewing sales and revenue, expenses, profit or loss, we’ve reached a season where things start to gear up for yearend.
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Now is the time to focus on meeting the goals we set with last year’s budget, making those final adjustments as we push toward the finish line. Just as fall prepares us for winter, this season in accounting is about closing the books and setting the stage for what’s to come. It’s time to start planning next year’s budget, prepare for open enrollment for benefits, and get ready for W-2s and 1099s. From here on out, everything can get a bit tedious, but the seasonal change and cooler temperatures make it a little easier to find balance—both in life and in the books.

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