Every year, the final quarter tests small business owners like nothing else. Prices rise. Customers grow more demanding. Competitors shout louder. Cash flow becomes a constant worry.
For some, Q4 is the biggest revenue opportunity of the year. For others, it's survival mode.
So how do you keep moving forward under pressure?
One place to look is The Boron Letters, a series of letters legendary copywriter Gary Halbert wrote to his son. They're raw, practical, and brutally honest about what it takes to succeed. And while they were written decades ago, their lessons are strikingly relevant for today's business owners.
Here's how Halbert's advice can guide you through peak season.
Lesson 1: Build Mental Armour
Halbert wrote:
"You are faced with a jerk who has the balance of power in their favour, and the only way to survive, especially with your pride intact, is to develop a mental toughness as a form of mental armour."
Peak season is full of power imbalances. Suppliers raise prices because they can. Big customers demand more because they know you need their revenue. Competitors undercut you when you're stretched.
You can't control those pressures. But you can control your response.
Mental armour means:
- Standing firm in negotiations
- Saying no to unprofitable work
- Keeping calm when others panic
Toughness changes not only how you feel but how you're perceived. As Halbert put it:
"When you 'get tough,' not only does your appearance change, your 'signals' change also."
Clients sense it. Partners respect it. Confidence attracts stability.
Lesson 2: Rely on Yourself
Self-reliance is a recurring theme in The Boron Letters.
"When you depend on others, you give yourself an excuse for failure…Depend on yourself."
"Rely on your own strength instead of somebody else's compassion!"
Halbert even quoted Rockefeller:
"Nothing is as satisfying as self-reliance."
For small business owners, especially in Q4, this means not betting everything on one client, one campaign, or one "lucky break."
Practical steps:
- Diversify your customer base. One big client is not security, it's dependence
- Control what you can. You can't control markets, but you can control your visibility, your offers, and your effort
- Invest in systems. SEO, for example, builds self-reliance by creating a steady flow of customers you don't have to beg an agency or ad platform for
Self-reliance isn't isolation. It's stability.
Lesson 3: Discipline Beats Motivation
Halbert had little patience for excuses.
"Most of the world's work is done by people who didn't feel much like getting out of bed."
Motivation comes and goes. Discipline is what carries you through.
For small business owners, this means:
- Posting updates even when tired
- Following up with leads even when you'd rather switch off
- Reviewing cash flow even when it's uncomfortable
At the same time, Halbert warned against going too far:
"If you keep pushing when you are chronically tired or really sick, then you are a fool. A lot of men do this because of a misplaced sense of macho. It's not macho, it's stupid."
The lesson: Don't stop at the first sign of fatigue. But don't grind yourself into collapse. Peak season is a marathon, not a sprint.
Lesson 4: Keep Moving Forward
Halbert believed progress was simple:
"When things are tough I have discovered that a very, very simple (but effective) thing to do is just keep moving in some sort of positive direction."
Business owners often freeze when overwhelmed. They try to plan the perfect move and end up making none.
Instead, do something:
- Send one email
- Call one customer
- Publish one update
Momentum matters more than perfection. One small action creates energy for the next.
Lesson 5: Enthusiasm is Currency
Halbert's view on money was counterintuitive but true:
"Money, in my opinion, especially big money, is most often a by-product of enthusiasm."
People buy into energy. When you show up excited, committed, and passionate, customers and clients feel it. That's especially important in Q4, when everyone is tired, stressed, and jaded.
Ask yourself:
- Does your marketing show energy, or does it look like a chore?
- Do you project confidence when speaking to clients?
- Does your team feel enthusiasm coming from you?
Enthusiasm sells. And unlike discounts, it doesn't cost you margin.
Lesson 6: Watch What People Do, Not What They Say
Halbert reminded us:
"The first and most important thing you must learn is what people want to buy... You want to know what people actually DO buy, not what they SAY they buy."
During peak season, customer behaviour tells the truth. Opinions, surveys, and wish lists are useful, but real purchase data is gold.
Practical application:
- Track which products or services actually sell. Double down on those
- Don't guess demand, observe it in your analytics, reviews, and queries
- Cut what isn't working, even if customers "said" they wanted it
What people buy is the only proof that matters.
Lesson 7: Copy the Best
Halbert pushed his son to hand-copy great ads:
"When you actually write out a good ad in your own handwriting, the words, the flow, the sentence structure, the sequence of information… all that becomes a part of you."
The principle? Don't reinvent the wheel. Learn from what works.
In business today, that means:
- Study successful campaigns in your sector
- Learn from competitors' wins and avoid their mistakes
- Use proven frameworks instead of chasing shiny new hacks
Success leaves clues. Discipline is copying them until they're second nature.
Why These Lessons Matter in Q4
Taken together, Halbert's advice forms a survival guide for small business owners:
- Mental armour protects you from pressure
- Self-reliance removes excuses and reduces risk
- Discipline keeps you moving when motivation fades
- Momentum beats paralysis
- Enthusiasm attracts sales
- Observation beats opinion
- Copying the best accelerates learning
In other words: peak season doesn't demand perfection. It demands toughness, clarity, and consistency.
Final Word
Gary Halbert wrote his letters decades ago, but the wisdom still applies to today's small business owners.
Q4 will be noisy, stressful, and unpredictable. But if you apply these lessons, you'll carry yourself with confidence, keep moving forward, and show up when it matters.
And that's how you win in the toughest quarter of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Gary Halbert?
Gary Halbert was a legendary direct response copywriter who wrote The Boron Letters to his son while imprisoned in the 1980s. His letters contain timeless business and marketing wisdom that remains relevant today.
What are The Boron Letters about?
The Boron Letters are a collection of lessons on copywriting, marketing, business, and life that Gary Halbert wrote to teach his son. They cover everything from mental toughness to practical marketing strategies.
How can small business owners apply these lessons during peak season?
Small business owners can apply these lessons by building mental toughness, maintaining discipline over motivation, relying on themselves rather than luck, and staying enthusiastic even when tired. These principles help navigate Q4's challenges.
Why is self-reliance important for small businesses?
Self-reliance reduces dependency on single clients or platforms, giving businesses more stability and control. It means building systems like SEO that generate consistent results without relying on external factors.
How do you build mental armour in business?
Building mental armour involves standing firm in negotiations, saying no to unprofitable work, and staying calm under pressure. It's about controlling your response to situations you can't control.
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About the author
Bryn Foweather
Vice President Marketing
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