In 2008 we lived in Tennessee as I partnered with a Wealth Management Advisor. I loved the Financial Industry and guiding business owners and individuals toward their dream life through financial security. It was an eventful time as the Presidential race was on, the whole city ran out of gas and we got to watch my husbands beloved Vikings versus the Titans in downtown Nashville. We were exploring this gorgeous brand new place where our accents stood out like a sore thumb.
All of a sudden the stock markets crashed. I walked into work and we had more voicemails than I could even sift through. I was not securities licensed so all I could do until my partner was free was calm them down. We didn’t have the answers but we did our best to find them and relay information as we received it.
Our clients had worked their entire lives saving their hard earned money, and overnight it was gone.
I will never forget the economic disaster in 2008.
And, now I will never forget the pandemic of Coronavirus in 2020.
These crises are 12 years apart and at such different scale, but the similarities are eerie. In both instances I was building or helping build a business. The unknowns and the terrifying realities overtake me until I remind myself
I was built for this.
I am not on someone’s payroll like I was in 2008. So, inevitably I am asking myself very different questions than I was then. And, the main one is
“how can I weather disaster when I’m still building?”
I was ‘lucky’ enough that I had had the previous 2008 experience and many personal experiences that taught me “plan for the inevitable”. But, what if you didn’t have those experiences, and even if you did, how do you weather disaster when you’re still building?
Leaders Do What It Takes
If you are a dreamer and achiever, nothing will stop you. You knew it would be hard, but you had no idea how hard. Yet, you are doing what it takes.
- I have clients that have picked up part time jobs.
- I have clients who stopped paying themselves in order to continue paying their employees.
- I have clients who have taken on projects their pride otherwise wouldn’t have allowed them to take on.
- I have clients who have sought help financially, emotionally and operationally.
Leaders are not born, they are built through skill development and coaching. If you are facing crisis, remember, you are developing your leadership skills!
Mindset Is Everything
When you and your business are facing crisis you are going to face so many emotions. You are going to be livid. You are building your dream and now it feels like you are starting all over. But, it’s important to remind yourself you aren’t! You are wiser, smarter and more capable than when you started and THAT my friend is imperative.
You cannot control much right now and for an achiever, that is a very difficult thing to grasp. You CAN control your mindset. You choose what you focus on right now and if you are focusing on the lack of something, that is what you will receive. If you focus on solutions, that is what you will find.
There is always something to be grateful for.
Physical Strength = Mental Strength
Quarantine is a great excuse to not be physically active. But, the one thing that suffers worse than your physical body when you use that excuse is your mental state. Right now the one thing I do every single day, even in quarantine is exercise. Once you realize what your body can do for you, you see your strength and can push through anything in a more optimistic way. Instead of seeing roadblocks, you start seeing opportunities.
People Come First
When this crisis hit, did your people (clients & employees) come first?
You weather crisis by continuing to honor people.
- Communicate with your employees.
- Communicate with your clients & customers.
- Make decisions that revolve around what is best for people, not profit.
When your whole world is turned upside down it can be very hard to know how to communicate. At AKA we specialize in communication strategies and guiding business owners through challenging times.
Quiet = Creative
When the world becomes quiet, you are allowed to be creative. Creatives are often looked at as the “crazies” of the world. I embrace that – but it isn’t always embraced by the majority of the world. Right now, it is.
The rest of the world needs the creative entrepreneurial spirit that you have.
Now is the time to embrace those ‘crazy’ ideas that have been floating around in your head.
Restaurants & bars have completely changed their whole business model in under a week and are still turning a profit. You can do this!
Be Real.
During any sort of disaster in life, you are not saving anyone by pretending things are fine. Be real. Communicate the realness of the situation to your employees AND your clients. Reassure them that you may not have the answers but you sure as heck will figure it out. That’s why they trust you, you’ve always done that. So, be real.
Humans connect with humans who have the strength to be vulnerable.
Be strong my friends, because you have no idea who you are inspiring.
Always in love,
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