Greetings from the summer golf session, which overlaps with the end of spring sports and the raft of special events to close the school year. My dining table has been occupied by a sizable model of Mission San Juan Capistrano for weeks. May is The Most. 

It’s not surprising that the cry of “call me in September” has already started. While I see June and July as underrated gems for business planning, your day-to-day will be slower as folks take vacations, offices close for holidays and summer Fridays, and we navigate the hodgepodge of camps and kid coverage. 

So why not lean into the slower pace of summer with some business fun? Summer is a great time to fill in your expert support team. I’m talking about these roles:

• Tax accountant

• Bookkeeper

• Lawyer or general counsel

• Financial planner or fiduciary

• Banker

• Insurance agent or broker

• Real estate agent

We tend to wait to establish these relationships until we have a clear, immediate need. Here’s the thing: these professionals have to know you to help you. When you have an emergency, you want to get straight to problem-solving. But professionals in these regulated industries have required Know Your Customer activities that they must complete before they can give you advice. And they can give you better advice if they know how your business works and what your values and priorities are.

So get the chit-chat out of the way now, when things are moving at a glacial pace. Meet up for lunch or a coffee, or chat while you get a pedicure. If you’re not up for in-person, make calls on the way to camp pickups or while you fit in a walk.  

Be ready to tell your prospective pros things like:

• Where your business is located and how you’re organized legally

• How many employees you have, where they are, and if you’re hiring more

• Your ballpark revenue and net profitability over the last couple of years

• Your vision for the company

• Your ideal customer

• Your plans and goals over the next 6-12 months 

• Your expectations for their advice and counsel as a member of your team

These pros will often ask how they can help you. It’s okay if nothing springs to mind, but if you have a need, build your relationship by enlisting them to support you.

If you already have your team, it’s time for a refresh. People retire and relocate, and some are bound by geographic limits. Make sure your pros are still in business, at the same company, and doing what you expect them to do. Update them on where your business stands. Often, they’ll suggest ways they can help with your growth.

Your professional team can be an excellent source of referrals, too, since most are regularly building their books. Checking in regularly keeps you top of mind and helps them send you the right opportunities. 

One other perk: I’ve found that my professional partners become social friends over time. This summer’s leisurely chat over Arnold Palmers could be next summer’s kid carpool or pickleball partner. Start building your professional bench and your social calendar will have a summer glow-up before you know it. If you aren’t sure where to start, ask your entrepreneur friends for referrals.

Quarterly estimated taxes. Although we call them quarterly estimated taxes, there are three deadlines in the first half of the year: January 15, April 15, and June 15. At the end of May, true up your profitability year-to-date and make sure you’re still in good shape with your planned payments. If you’re significantly above or below your projections, check in with your accountant.

Juneteenth. Our newest US federal holiday is observed on June 19. If your hourly team works on this day, they’ll be subject to federal, state, and local holiday pay rules.

End of Q2. June 30 is the end of the calendar fiscal quarter. It’s a good time to check on your progress toward your 2025 goals.

In this house, we double reverse. In my extended family, the children are initiated early into the UNO bloodsport. We have at least five versions of this game and keep a deck in the travel kit. So I was interested to see that Mattel has set up an UNO social club at The Palms in Las Vegas. If you’re an UNO aficionado, grab your spot on your next visit.

Paging Scott Bakula. While we’re navigating the immediate impacts of AI, there’s another bit of future-proofing to consider from quantum computing. Wired has a great long read introducing the risks to standard encryption and classified information from concurrent processing power and the pace at which we’re moving toward Q-Day. Research company VML also published a look into the players and practical uses. Or you can watch Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, which has an AI with quantum capabilities as the plot device (and I use the term “plot” in the more generous sense) to stitch together the stunts. 

Can you really make a car for $8,000? What’s the most popular car you’ve never heard of? Chinese automaker BYD has overtaken Tesla as the most popular EV in Europe. At the recent Shanghai Auto Show, BYD revealed a five-minute charging station. They’ve recently cut the price of their entry-level EV to $7,765, from $10,000. And these aren’t basic economy cars. The design is cutting-edge and the range is high. While I don’t want to drive a sprinkle donut, I’d be happy to have an interior that converts into a pod office. The competitive Asian EV market has forced companies to innovate and offer more features on budget models. All a reminder that staying curious and looking beyond the US market for how problems are solved can boost your ideation.