Now is the time for all business owners to take a pause and prepare for all hell to break loose.
As I sit at home with my dog and cat beside me (yes, still in my PJs) I am thinking about social distancing a video Seth Godin sent out last week about how to come out of this pause in the economy stronger and ready to make, what he calls a ruckus.
If you have not been following Seth Godin - time to do it now. He is optimistic, powerful, kind, and focused. Running a business is always about telling a compelling story to the right people and Seth's approach is very effective.
Right now, especially here where I live in Seattle, business owners are in shock. Restaurants and recreational facilities have just been ordered closed by the Governor. Fear is understandable as none of us know what is to come. The one thing we are all being given right now, whether we want it or not, is time. Time to think, time to clean, time to focus and time to plan.
If any of you are like me, running a business is a constant battle to balance immediate needs and planning for the future. We all have a moment of pause to really take apart out businesses, our goals and our message so we come out the other side of this with more focus, ready to take on the world.
The opportunity as I see it is that more people are spending time at home right now with their partners and children and the elements of their home they haven't liked will really start to get to them. As soon as we are all released to go back out into the world there will be pent up demand like never before.
Yes - some of our clients will not be in a position to spend right away, but some will. How can you put your business in the middle of the train tracks of recovery? How can you focus your message and audience to increase your own happiness and profitability? How can you tell a better and more specific story about the good you have to offer?
Take this time to think. Follow or sign up to do one of Seth's workshops, they are amazing - or reach out to our friend, Sean Low for some private coaching, or at the very least read his most recent blog post. What they both have in common is an optimistic outlook and a focussed approach to improving the foundations necessary for a thriving business. There is a gift in everything if you look through the right glasses.
Renate