A leading UK Growth expert has urged business leaders to accelerate and not slow down in Q4.
As many business leaders prepare to wind down for the year, James Disney-May, a recognised authority on business growth and AI innovation, is calling on executives to treat the final quarter as a launchpad rather than a cooldown.
His message is backed by data: while 70% of executives say they want to outpace market growth, a McKinsey report shows only about 20% of their time is spent on activities that drive real performance gains.
“Too many leaders treat Q4 like a waiting room for January,” Disney-May says. “But this is a golden window to outpace competitors who are easing off the gas.”
Here James outlines five strategic moves he says leaders should make before the year ends:
1. Focus on One High-Impact Skill
Rather than attempting to learn everything, James recommends a targeted “learning sprint” focused on a single transformative skill.
“This could mean mastering AI tools for workflow automation, improving your grasp of SaaS metrics, or sharpening your deal-making ability,” he explains. “The goal is not to do everything, but to master one capability that shifts performance next year.”
He points to a Boston Consulting Group study showing that consultants who used AI tools such as GPT-4 completed tasks faster and to a higher standard than their peers. Disney-May advises setting aside 20–30 hours before year’s end to upskill through platforms like Codecademy or short courses from business schools such as Wharton.
2. Network While Others Wind Down
While many executives slow their networking activity in Q4, James does the opposite.
“Founders, LPs, and senior investors often have more headspace this time of year,” he says. “It’s the perfect moment for relaxed coffees or strategy chats that lead to deals in the new year.”
He encourages leaders to view relationships as a compounding asset-arguing that even brief interactions in the quieter months can seed long-term partnerships.
3. Conduct a Productivity Audit
James believes attention, not capital, is the scarcest resource for most leaders.
“This is the right time to review how you spend your week,” he says. “I look for what I call ‘time arbitrage’ – redirecting hours from low-value admin into strategic work like deal origination or planning.”
He recommends leveraging AI scheduling tools to maximise time spent on deep work. “The best-performing teams are not necessarily the largest; they’re the ones that align attention with impact.”
4. Write a Personal Investment Memo
One of James most unconventional recommendations is to write a Q4 “investment memo” as if you’re a startup pitching yourself.
“Outline where your energy is going, which skills you’ll develop, who you’ll connect with, and how you’ll deploy capital or time,” he says. “If your plan doesn’t excite you on paper, it won’t inspire action.”
This practice, he notes, helps turn vague ambitions into specific, achievable goals.
5. Launch or Restart a Micro-Venture
With the global micro-VC market approaching $10 billion and forecasted to double over the next decade, Disney-May encourages leaders to experiment with small-scale ventures during the year-end slowdown.
“This could be a SaaS MVP, a niche newsletter, or a new advisory offer,” James says. “You don’t need major capital, just a willingness to test ideas quickly.”
He adds that many meaningful ventures start as low-risk experiments in quiet quarters. “It’s not about perfection; it’s about momentum.”
James’ final message is clear: “If you wait for January to plan your next chapter, you’ve already lost valuable ground.”
Instead, he urges leaders to treat Q4 not as a time to pause, but as a strategic head start on 2026.
