Is This Your Pivot or Perish Moment?
If you’re like most business owners, myself included, your 2020 business plan looks nothing like reality. The impact of the COVID pandemic and forced stay-at-home orders, has impacted nearly every business in every industry.
Chances are you had to get creative during these past few months to survive. Creative about what to sell, how to sell it, how to deliver it, and how to even reach your customers & clients in the first place.
Did you think (or hope) we’d be back to “normal” by now?
Here we are approaching July and most businesses are not operating at 100%. So it begs the question…
How long is this going to continue? And what’s the long-term impact on your business?
Here’s the super annoying answer. No one knows, and be wary of anyone who tells you they do. The uncertainty of it all can be rough, unless...
Unless you remember that entrepreneurship is all about evolution.
From the moment you started your business, to the moment you’re reading this email, think about how much has changed.
Have you refined the products & services you sell?
Have you honed in on your ideal client?
Have you gotten better at talking about what you do?
Have you improved your marketing?
Have you developed greater confidence in your skills as a business owner?
Of course you have! It’s the joy of doing anything over a long period of time. You get better and better as you go, as long as you’re applying what you learn along the way.
So what is the lesson to be learned right now in the middle of this wild 2020 ride?
If you’re not getting the results you want in your business right now, it’s time to PIVOT or PERISH.
I don’t say this lightly. I have witnessed several people in our community close their businesses in the last month. It’s heartbreaking, and yet I completely understand why they made the decision they did. Sometimes you just can’t recover, especially financially, without a full blown revolution.
But for many of you this is simply a PIVOT moment. And pivots come in all shapes and sizes. It might not be a complete 180, but rather a 30 degree shift to what you're selling or how you're selling it.
It’s all about the SHIFT. Shifting toward the opportunities that sit in front of you right NOW!
This week I encourage you to consider how you’re adapting to this unprecedented moment.
Are you asking questions and listening to your clients? What do they need right now and how can you shift your offerings to serve them?
What’s happening in your industry? Do your research. Get online and look at what businesses similar to yours are doing in other cities & other countries. How are they adapting to change?
What can you move on now? This is the time to focus on revenue generation, not a bunch of back-end meaningless tasks. So I encourage you to challenge your to-do list every single day and clear the way for focusing on the $$$ part of your business.
What can you bring to market fast? There has never been a better time than now to take “imperfect action”. If you’re considering launching a new product or service, focus on testing the viability and getting real market feedback!
As Angela Duckworth, author of Grit says…
“One characteristic emerged as a significant predictor of success. And it wasn't social intelligence. It wasn't good looks, physical health, and it wasn't I.Q. It was grit. Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.”
We’re in the middle of the marathon and it’s time to find your GRIT.
The challenges you’re facing right now aren’t meant to shut you down. What if instead they’re helping you discover even better ways of SERVING your clients?
Now that’s an idea I can get behind.
Wishing you a productive week ahead.
Hilary Johnson is the Founder & CEO of Hatch Tribe. She is a business coach, keynote speaker, and author of "A Girls Guide to Surviving the Startup with Your Mind, Body, and Soul Intact", an encouraging read that imparts road-tested wisdom for tackling the inner and outer work of being the boss. When she’s not working you’ll find her traveling the world with a single carry-on bag. Her favorite quote & mantra is “Live Loud. Eat Well. Travel Often”.