The Rhythm of the Island: How Galveston Businesses (and Locals) Can Thrive Year-Round

A Different Kind of Island Expertise

When people hear “CFO,” they think spreadsheets and boardrooms. But the same person who crunches numbers is also the one sipping coffee at MOD, dancing at Island Oktoberfest, or chatting with friends on Postoffice Street. As a fractional CFO—a part-time financial strategist who helps businesses manage growth, cash flow, and planning without the cost of a full-time hire—I’ve found that living here isn’t just about knowing your numbers. It’s about knowing your people.

And that’s the real secret to thriving in Galveston. This isn’t a city where success is handed out in corporate boardrooms. It’s passed along in porch conversations, forged over drinks at happy hour, and strengthened through late-night texts that say, “Hey, do you know someone who can help with this…”

If you’ve lived through a few off-seasons, you already know: your greatest asset isn’t your balance sheet—it’s your community.

What the Off-Season Teaches Us

Here’s what I’ve learned after years of living and working here:

• The off-season teaches patience.
• It teaches creativity.
• It teaches resilience.
• And yes—it teaches planning.

Because while summer makes things busy, winter makes things clear.

This is when I see the smartest business owners regroup. They use the slower pace to experiment with new menu items, paint the walls, dream up new tours, launch side hustles, or finally dig into those “one day” ideas that kept getting pushed aside when the crowds were rolling in.

And here’s the thing: it’s not just for business owners. It’s a season for all of us to reflect and reset. Want to learn guitar? Start writing that screenplay? Host backyard dinners with friends? There’s no better time. This island practically whispers, “Go ahead… you’ve got a minute.”

Going with the Flow of the Island

A lot of folks who move here from the mainland come in hot—fast growth, big plans, nonstop motion. I get it. The island feels like a blank canvas. But Galveston isn’t a place you conquer. It’s a place you learn to dance with.

Understanding the rhythms—when to push, when to pause, when to plant seeds—is part of what makes life here so rich. And for businesses especially, learning that rhythm is everything.

A Little Planning Goes a Long Way

Now—just because I’m a numbers person, I’ll throw in this one soft tip: set aside just a bit during the high season. Not just money (though yes, money helps), but time. Energy. Ideas. When it’s busy, jot them down. When it’s quiet, pull them out.

Some of the best ideas I’ve seen come from Galveston locals using the off-season as a kind of creative incubation period. That’s not just good business. That’s a smart way to live.

More Porchlight Than Spotlight

My job—officially—is to help people with things like financial forecasting and planning. But around here, the work is a little more porchlight than spotlight. It’s listening. Connecting dots. Helping someone breathe a little easier because their books make sense and their future looks more manageable.

If I can offer one thing as a local who’s also a finance nerd, it’s this: you don’t have to do this alone. There are smart, kind, generous people all over this island who know what you’re going through—because they’ve been through it too.

That’s the magic of Galveston. It’s not just a place. It’s a community of people who support each other.

A Love Letter to the Quiet Season

So here’s to the quiet season.

To the waitstaff finally getting two days off in a row.
To the business owners trying something new without a line out the door.
To the longtime locals who smile just a little wider in October because the island is, for a few months, theirs again.

Here’s to the porch swings and foggy-morning beach walks.
To the slower dinners, the deeper conversations, and the wild idea that maybe—just maybe—this lull isn’t a lull at all.

It’s a gift.

Teresa Wagonseller
CPA, fractional CFO, and proud member of The 39ers