Setting Up 2026 to Be Your Best Season Yet
by Marvin Joles
When the last load of sealer’s drained and the temps start dropping, most contractors finally exhale. The phone quiets down. The trucks cool off. Now, if you’re like me, the first quiet couple weeks are welcomed, but then always hits the question: What Now?
The truth is, the offseason is when next season is built. Every championship team is made in the offseason and our businesses in this industry are no different. Whether you run a one truck operation or manage a multi crew company, what you do between now and March determines how smooth, profitable, and stress-free your 2026 season will be. Here’s where my head’s at as we close out the year.
Dial In the Equipment
Your equipment is your livelihood, and downtime next summer costs way more than repair time in winter.
Take a day to line up every piece of gear, from your crack machine to your spray wand. Clean it, inspect it, fix what’s been “on the list” all season. Replace worn hoses, change filters, and don’t forget the small things like squeegees, tips, batteries, or that striping gun that “kinda” worked this season.
If it’s sitting in the corner, not getting used, ask yourself why. Can it be sold, rebuilt, or replaced with something that actually makes money? A clean shop in January means a clean start in April.
Invest in Learning (and Networking)
Conferences used to intimidate me, like drinking from a fire hose, until I realized the ROI isn’t in the travel miles, it’s in the mindset shift on where the “value” is.
Events like ConExpo/ConAgg, PaveX, or NAPA’s Annual Meeting are where you hear what’s next, meet people solving the same challenges, and get fired up again. You don’t even have to leave town as you can join virtual summits or hop on industry webinars from suppliers and manufacturers.
If you attend just one event this offseason, go in with intention: take notes, shake hands, and ask questions. Most of my biggest breakthroughs, from pricing strategy to marketing inspiration, came from conversations over coffee (and beer) with other contractors.
Get Tech-Savvy Before the Rush
Technology moves fast, faster than most of us in the field have time to keep up with during the season. You CAN NOT afford to get left behind in this area.
This is the time to research new tools:
• Job Management Software can streamline scheduling and customer communication.
• Digital and Virtual Measurement tools can reduce mistakes and impress clients with professionalism.
• Marketing automation and social scheduling tools can help you show up consistently online without losing weekends to your phone.
The goal isn’t to become “techy”, but it’s to work smarter, not harder. Let the tech take on some of the chaos so you can focus on leadership and growth.
Train Like You Mean It
If your team’s returning next year, invest in them now.
Host a Saturday workshop on sealcoat mixing, line-layout accuracy, or safety procedures. Go over your top jobs from this year, what went right, what could be better. Let your foremen teach too. It builds pride and sharpens leadership. Look into companies that provide training platforms.
Even if you’re solo, train yourself. Read business books, watch equipment demos, shadow another contractor for a day or DM asking to join our In The Mix Contractor group. Growth doesn’t always mean buying more gear, sometimes it’s about sharpening the person behind it.
Build a Real Marketing Plan
Don’t wait until spring to start marketing. The best leads of 2026 are being warmed up NOW.
Update your Google Business profile, collect reviews while the season’s still fresh in your customers’ minds, and refresh your website photos. Get next season’s job photos, testimonials, and before-and-afters organized into folders so content creation doesn’t get buried when you’re busy. I think Facebook ads are still the best “bang for your buck” for smaller contractors and
LinkedIn is THE spot for commercial client campaigns.
If you’ve got the resources, batch-create social posts or videos for January–March. Consistency online builds trust, and trust builds contracts before the first truck rolls out.
Reflect and Reset
Lastly, breathe. Take stock of what went right and what didn’t this year.
Ask yourself:
• What were my biggest wins?
• Where did we waste time or money?
• How can I make next year simpler, smoother, and more scalable?
Write those answers down. The offseason isn’t about doing everything, it’s about doing the right things, in the least stressful way as possible. Proper preparation is the key to that.
Because come March, when the calls start rolling in again, you’ll be grateful you took this season to invest in yourself, your crew, and your systems.
Final Thought
The best contractors I know don’t chase the next season; they build it.
So, while others are packing it in, stay intentional. Learn something new. Fix what’s broken. Meet people who are where you want to be. When spring hits, you’ll roll out not just ready but ahead.
As always, if you have any questions, insight or criticisms about this article or anything in it, please feel free to email me at marvinjoles@gmail.com and of course, reach out to me using any form of social media (@inthemixmj). Listen to the “In The Mix with Marvin Joles” Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Watch on YouTube. Visit www.inthemixmj.com to learn more.
Asphalt is Opportunity. -Marvin
Marvin Joles is the owner of Wis-Coat Asphalt Maintenance. Visit his website at https://marvinjoles.com
