Timing matters more than most people realise. When it comes to setting up your NLP4Kids franchise, there is always demand for our work, but not every month is equal when it comes to winning opportunities with schools. If you wait too long, the academic calendar will overtake you and your chance for a smooth start will disappear.

The Best and Worst Times to Begin

July is one of the worst months to start approaching schools. By then, the summer holidays are looming, teachers are exhausted, and there’s little chance anyone will give you the time of day. September, despite the fresh buzz of a new academic year, also brings disruption. Teachers and students are navigating new routines, timetables and transitions. It often takes schools a good two or three weeks before they are ready to focus on external initiatives.

A successful coaching franchise isn’t built on waiting for “the right moment” – it’s built on knowing how to use time strategically.

That’s why October is when we begin to see schools open up again. By then, staff have found their rhythm, children have adjusted to their new teachers, and meetings can finally take place. The problem is, October slips quickly into Christmas. At this point, schools may politely push meetings into the new year, and before you know it, months have passed and you still haven’t taken action.

Why You Should Begin Now

Here’s the truth: waiting until January to begin your training is a mistake. There is extensive pre-course study to complete for your NLP4Kids training, and rushing through it at the last minute only creates unnecessary stress. More importantly, if you start now, you can complete your training in February and March, meaning you’ll be fully equipped to work with schools during the longest uninterrupted stretch of the academic year.

According to Department for Education reports, schools are more receptive to external interventions in the spring term than in any other. Miss this window, and you’ll be trying to make headway in the crowded chaos of exam season or the exhaustion of summer term.

The Cost of Delay

The opportunity is right in front of you, but the danger is convincing yourself that you have time. Procrastination has a price, and in this case, it’s lost income, lost impact, and months of wasted potential. Every year, I meet prospective practitioners who wish they’d started sooner, when schools were at their most open.

The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to gain traction with schools – and the more opportunities you lose to practitioners who acted earlier.

This is why I urge you to start your journey now. Not in January, not “when things calm down,” but today.

Take Action Before the Year Slips Away

By beginning your pre-course study now, you are giving yourself a priceless advantage. You’ll have the time to absorb the material properly, to feel confident and capable, and to step into schools at exactly the point when they are most open to collaboration. By the end of March, you could already be delivering sessions, building relationships, and growing your coaching franchise in a way that aligns perfectly with the academic rhythm.

Don’t let this year slip through your fingers. Take the steps today that your future self will thank you for.

by Gemma Bailey (with the help of Ai)

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