5 Ways To Grow Your Business In The Summer As An Executive Function Coach
- Sean G. McCormick
- May 28
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 2
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If you’re googling “how to get executive function coaching clients in the summer"...
Let’s just rip the Band-Aid off: summer is usually slow.
Not because your marketing stinks or your services aren’t valuable.
It's because most parents aren’t thinking about executive function skills when school is out and stress levels are down.
This article will help you stop chasing uninterested clients and instead use the summer to set up a wildly successful school year.
Let me show you how 👇
Why It Pays To Shift Your Summer Strategy
Summer is a unique stretch of the year when most families hit pause on structured schedules, school stress, and academic meltdowns.
That also means EF skills drop off the radar, along with the urgency that usually drives parents to sign up for coaching.
Instead of spinning your wheels, summer is a prime opportunity to work on your business, not in it.
The coaches who use this downtime to refine their systems, build referral pipelines, and rest?
They’re the ones who use this summer strategy to fill their rosters in August and cruise through the fall.
3 Mistakes Coaches Make About Their Summer Strategy
Mistake 1: Banking on Summer Income
Coaches often expect to maintain or grow their caseload in summer, and get blindsided when referrals dry up.
Depending on summer income can lead to panic mode when it doesn’t come through.
Mistake 2: Over-prepping Offers That No One Is Looking For
Spending hours perfecting summer programs or creating flyers for “Summer Skill Builders” might feel productive.
But it often misses the real problem: there’s no demand.
Mistake 3: Assuming The Hustle Never Stops
Many coaches feel guilty taking time off.
But if you’re trying to grind through summer, you’ll burn out before fall (the season when your services will actually be in high demand).
5 Ways To Grow Your Business In The Summer As An Executive Function Coach
1. Plan for a 9-Month Income Cycle
Structure your financial expectations around the school calendar.
This means forecasting income from September to May and treating any summer income as a bonus, not something to rely on.
If summer clients come through, great.
But do not build your budget assuming they will.
Instead, consider putting aside a small percentage of your income each month during the school year so you can ride out the slower summer months without stress.
2. Enjoy the Downtime
Seriously.
Rest, travel, spend time with family.
Recharge in the way you hope your clients and their families do.
You are building a lifestyle that works for you.
If your business model doesn’t give you breathing room in the summer, this is your opportunity to change that.
Need guidance on how to structure your summer weeks to allow for both productivity and rest?
Check out my webinar: How To Build Your Ideal Summer Week For Focus, Freedom, And Follow-Through.
3. Strengthen Your Referral Network
Use the quieter months to reach out to neuropsychologists, therapists, and schools.
Send a friendly check-in email, offer to grab a virtual coffee, or ask if they’re open to referring clients once the school year starts.
When back to school season hits, you want your name to be the one they remember.
One outreach message a day can add up to dozens of connections by the end of the summer.
4. Refine Your Systems
Tidy your backend.
Update your website.
Create onboarding materials.
Review your workflows.
What tasks always feel chaotic? What could be automated or handed off to someone else?
For help with using automations, check out my article: How To "Automate With Intimacy" In Your Coaching Business.
Fix the stuff you’re too busy to touch during the school year.
Want guidance on how to implement these strategies and more into your executive function coaching business? My certification course is a great opportunity to learn everything you need to launch and grow your EF coaching business.
5. Reflect and Recalibrate
Look back on what worked and what didn’t over the past school year.
Did a certain type of student thrive with your coaching?
Did you overbook Tuesdays and burn out by Thursday?
Use this space to fine tune your offers and coaching style.
You might decide to raise your rates, narrow your niche, or redesign your intake process.
Treat this as your yearly check-in to make your coaching practice better aligned with your goals.
The Bottom Line
Rather than chase clients who aren’t looking, use this time to build a better business and a better life. Here’s your simplified checklist:
Assume summer coaching income will be low
Take real time off
Grow your referral network before the rush hits
Improve your systems while your calendar is clear
Reflect on the school year and revise for the fall
Hope this helps! 🤙🏻
Want support in using the summer season as a coach?
Consider joining hundreds of educators and professionals who have completed our executive function coaching certification.
You'll gain all the tools, templates, and techniques you'll need as a coach, plus you'll make new friends and have a community you can rely on to grow and learn. Learn more.
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About Me
Hey! I'm Sean 👋
I'm a former public school special education teacher who realized that executive function skills are more important than knowing when George Washington crossed the Potomac.
Since then, I've made it my mission to teach anyone who will listen about how to develop these key life skills.
In 2020, I founded Executive Function Specialists to ensure all students with ADHD and Autism have access to high-quality online executive function coaching services. We offer online EF coaching and courses to help students and families.
Realizing I could only reach so many people through coaching, in 2021 I started the Executive Function Coaching Academy which trains schools, educators, and individuals to learn the key strategies to improve executive function skills for students.
In 2023, I co-founded of UpSkill Specialists, to provide neurodivergent adults with high-quality executive function coaching services.
When not pursuing my passions through work, I love spending time with my family, getting exercise, and expanding my brain through reading. You can connect with me on LinkedIn.