I’ve always loved to read. Whether I’m looking for inspiration, guidance, support, or to walk in the shoes of a character, far from my lived experience, I often find exactly what I need (even when I didn’t know it!) in the pages of a book.
Different times call for different books and right now, I’m re-reading Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. Despite its rather ominous title, Chödrön’s comforting voice encourages us to see fear and vulnerability as teachers rather than obstacles, especially during uncertain and chaotic times. No biggie, right?
Now, I’m no buddhist nun (obviously!), but I share a lot of Chödrön’s pragmatism when it comes to navigating challenging times. As a business coach for creative freelancers and entrepreneurs, my process has always been geared towards helping people connect to their own power, create a clear path from where they are (no matter how “behind” they may feel) to where they want to be, and make consistent progress toward that outcome. No hiding, no magical thinking, no bypassing. Just onward and upward, step by step.
Because here’s what I believe to be true – no matter how bad a situation appears to be, there is always something you can do to make it better. But in order to do that, you need the following:
- A clear head
- A clearly defined outcome you’re working towards
- An actionable plan you can adapt, depending on the resources you have available that day
Let’s dive into three actionable ways to keep your head and make progress, no matter what’s going on around you:
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
If I were to give myself a title, it would be COO. Chief Optimist Officer. And I know I’m not alone. We entrepreneurs tend to be an idealistic bunch. Whether that manifests as launching a business before doing the necessary market research, to forecasting for best case scenario numbers, or writing a proposal as the project should go, rather than how it will likely go.
Things tend to go wrong when things don’t go according to our best laid plans. We find there isn’t quite the appetite for what we’re selling (at least not at the price point we’d need), clients are slow to make decisions, dragging out projects and crushing our profit margin in the process. Cue the suffering!
In her book, When Things Fall Apart, Chödrön reminds us that while pain and uncertainty are inevitable, suffering is optional. Rather than viewing challenges as outliers, accepting them as a part of life empowers us to plan accordingly.
So, what might hoping for the best and planning for the worst look like in your business?
- Diversifying your client base and revenue streams. While cruising along with that one fat-cat client that keeps you afloat month after month might feel good, they will ultimately move on. Not feeling locked in gives you, the creative business owner autonomy over who you work with, how you work, and what you charge.
- Focus on efficiency before you scale. The dominant messaging we hear is that if you want to be successful, you need to scale. But an overhead-heavy, inefficient business is an albatross when things get bumpy. Alternatively, a nimble, streamlined business will serve you well if and when you need to pivot.
- Create a business savings fund. Because losing sleep over payroll is never cute.
Focus on service VS selling
In my experience, most creative business owners hate the sales part of their business. And guess what – during challenging times e.g. during a recession, pandemic, political unrest etc. – their resistance only increases. And I get it, it feels tacky to be salesy when you know folks are going through the wringer.
But sales are a part of business and without them, you have no business, so what’s a creative freelancer or entrepreneur to do?
My approach is to focus on being of service VS selling. It turns out Pema Chödrön agrees 😊, advising that when we shift our focus from self-centered fears to the wellbeing of others, we create a sense of purpose and connection. When times are tough, showing up for others benefits them AND you.
What being of service might look like in your business:
Identify a client community or need you can meet, no matter how small your contribution may seem.
Brainstorm all the ways you could reach out and be of service e.g.:
- A quick, supportive check-in
- A helpful tip or two. This could be in the form of a download, newsletter, open office hours/Q&A, or webinar.
- A limited-time offer that your clients can easily take advantage of such as a brand audit, strategy session, or template.
When you’re in service mode, you feel more engaged, less isolated, and more helpful – all sales friendly states!
Take Action Where You Can
I joke that if I were to be reincarnated as a dog, I’d be the one carrying the newspaper, not the one lying in a pool of sunshine on the porch. I’m not proud of it, but what can I say, I feel better when I’m doing something! The trick is to do something useful i.e. not carrying a newspaper LOL. I call this “right action.”
Why this works: taking practical action can anchor us in the moment, giving us a sense of much needed agency. Rather than getting bogged down in hypothetical fears, taking action on what’s within your control can be life-giving when life feels chaotic, uncertain, or scary.
What taking “right action” might look like in your business:
- Building your network. I just joined a local community network of business owners and it’s wonderful. Don’t have a local entrepreneurs community? Why not start one (you’ll be taking action AND being of service…win/win!!)
- Shoring up your infrastructure. Sometimes business slows down when external conditions get bumpy. Take advantage of this time by investing in your infrastructure, rather than wringing your hands and worrying. This might include taking an audit of your processes and systems and upgrading them one by one. It might look like finally creating that CRM or researching new project management software. Maybe it looks like getting your book keeping system cleaned up and ready to kick butt. Pick your area of focus and throw yourself in. Like a good tidy up, you’ll feel fantastic when it’s done!
- Working on your marketing strategy. In my opinion there are two primary money generating opportunities: (1) Doing the actual client work (2) Marketing so you can fill your pipeline with new prospects. If one is slow, focus on the other!
During challenging times it’s easy to become paralyzed because any action seems too small to make a difference. In reality, staying in the game and taking consistent, small steps to the outcome we want that gets us through.
Consider me in your corner!