“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet.”
— Bobby Unser
Most brands think December is the month to coast.
Budgets are spent.
Teams take time off.
Platforms go into code freeze.
Publishers wind down.
Everyone tells themselves, “We’ll start fresh in January.”
But here’s the truth every top-performing brand knows:
December is where next year’s wins are built.
Not January.
Not Q1 planning week.
Not during kickoff meetings.
December is where you quietly set yourself up to hit the ground running while your competitors are sleeping off eggnog.
And in affiliate and growth marketing, that advantage compounds faster than almost any other channel.
Let’s talk about why.
What You’ll Get in Chaos to Grow
• Why December is the real beginning of 2026, not the end of 2025
• The specific actions brands should take this month
• Why hiring your agency in December gives you a massive head start
• And why The School of Chaos community is blowing up right now
The December Reality: Platforms Pause, But Strategy Doesn’t
It’s true — a lot of the ecosystem slows down.
Networks, payment platforms, attribution systems, publishers, engineering teams… many hit code freeze or holiday hours.
But that’s exactly why December is powerful.
Because while execution slacks, preparation skyrockets.
This is the month where brands can:
• audit their entire affiliate infrastructure
• reorganize partner tiers
• decide which platforms or networks stay or go
• build 2026 offer structures
• realign attribution and payouts
• rewrite recruitment sequences
• prepare Q1 briefing packets
• and get their agency partner fully onboarded
You don’t want your agency scrambling to understand your brand on January 3rd.
You want them ready to go the moment the calendar flips.
The smart brands are already doing this.
Why December Is the Perfect Month to Hire Your Agency
This is the part too many brands overlook.
December onboarding = January acceleration.
January onboarding = January confusion.
When you bring on an agency like Chief of Chaos in December, here’s what happens before the year even flips:
1. We Build Your Entire Affiliate Operating System
Tracking review, platform audit, partner tiers, recruitment lists, bonus structures, Q1 calendars.
All before January begins.
2. We Create Your January Launch Plan
Your partners wake up to clarity and direction — while your competitors wake up to inbox zero.
3. We Prep Your Creative and Outreach Engine
So the second creators and affiliates return from the holidays, your program is top of their list.
4. We Identify New Revenue Paths Hidden in Your 2025 Structure
Because Q4 data tells the truth — and December gives us time to analyze it.
5. We Build Your 2026 Growth Foundation
Not after the holidays.
Not during the scramble.
Before the world wakes up.
By the time January hits, you’re not onboarding.
You’re executing.
And that difference shows up in revenue by February.
The Affiliate Advantage: December Is a Quiet Goldmine
Let me say this clearly:
Affiliates do not slow down in December (Neither do we).
They shift.
This is when:
• they build Q1 content calendars
• they choose new brands to prioritize
• they negotiate placement packages
• they lock in monthly retainer agreements
• they look for the next revenue partner they want to champion
If you’re not talking to them now…
Someone else is.
The School of Chaos Is Growing Fast
This past week, the waitlist grew fast — marketers, affiliate operators, creators, founders, and performance pros from every corner of the industry.
Why?
Because people want community.
They want momentum.
They want a place where ideas move faster than platforms.
And December is exactly when professionals look for a place to grow.
If you haven’t joined yet, you should.
Founding members will shape the entire experience — and the first version launches in collaboration with Inspiration.co in just a few weeks.
Get on the waitlist here:
This is where the next generation of performance leaders will grow together.
Your Weekly Chaos Challenge
Ask yourself:
“If I hired my agency in December, what would January look like?”
Then flip the question:
“If I wait until January… how much will I lose?”
Your future growth is shaped by the moves you make now — not the ones you make when everyone else is already moving.
Final Thought
December is not the cooldown month.
It’s the setup month.
It’s where clarity forms, strategy sharpens, and great brands separate themselves quietly.
If you want 2026 to be your strongest year yet, the time to build it is right now.
When the world slows down… your momentum becomes your advantage.
If you wanted my secret…….work when everyone else isn’t willing to….and pass them by.
—Matt Frary
Chief of Chaos
