This year has been A LOT. Before you succumb to the dumpster fire that is 2020, peep this. These are real pieces of advice I have given to my clients and received myself.

I feel you. Everything is heavy. And if you’re a business owner, you feel an added pressure to protect the business you’ve worked so hard to build.

Over the past 8 months, I’ve experienced my own highs and lows and heard from many clients and friends who feel ALL OF THE THINGS. I have compiled a short list of ideas/steps you can take to encourage you to move forward, despite the shit storm that surrounds us. This list is really for any business owner/entrepreneur. If it’s of interest I can offer further breakdowns for product based businesses vs. service based businesses… I have different ideas for both 😉 Lemme know if you’re keen.

DISCLAIMER: Rest and pause are available to you. You don’t need my permission, or anyone’s for that matter. These are offerings to you IF they feel right.

Okay, so what are some common suggestions to guide my clients in this turbulent time? HERE. WE. GO.

1. CONNECT

It’s hard not to feel isolated during this time, but there are ways to connect online and gain new connections. There are many private facebook groups for specific industries, slack channels, eventbrite workshops – reach out to friends/peers in search of online communities that you may have never thought of! By reaching out to people you know already, you can ask where they go online to connect, vent, ask questions and just be! For me personally I’m in a few Facebook groups (@loveyourmondays has one I’m especially loving called The Breakroom you should look into) and I have the YES! Vancouver Committee. If you’re struggling to find the right group for your business, consider creating a weekly connection Zoom meet up with other likeminded entrepreneurs. Be the one who blazes the trail!

2. STAY VISIBLE

When it feels right, share. Have conversations. Post content that helps others and shows your magic. Be proud and don’t worry about sounding “salesy.” Your presence online matters and will help your business, even if things have slowed down, they WILL pick up again. Share about your mindset on the pandemic and ways you’re working through or helping others work through challenges. Be real and focus on sharing your brand message while being authentic. And if a break is needed, take it.

3. AUDIT YOUR BIZ

Not in the CRA/IRIS kind of way, but in the “what is working/not working” checklist kind of way. I’ve read SO many blog posts about what to do during this time and everyone says to update ALL. THE. THINGS. <<< Don’t do that. Instead, look at your day-to-day operations and pick strategically! Is there something you send out often that you can add to your website? Are the services/packages on your website up-to-date and in-line with your business goals? Are there any pieces of info you can package up to include your in client/customer experience? Look at what you have, keep what works, improve what doesn’t, but DON’T do it all just beacuse.

4. BUILD NEW SYSTEMS

This one deserves its own section because it’s been a huge game changer for my clients (and my own biz). So many systems that may have worked before COVID simply don’t work anymore. New systems can look like client intake docs, form/contract, online booking, delivery/buying of products – the list is long, and the changes need user-friendly and safe. Working out what systems need to be digital and then implementing a new process for that system is key. After you have this set up, you can make a checklist/guide of what this process looks like then you and your team know how to execute this new process smoothly going forward. They can be simple to start, so don’t feel like you have to set up a workflow for every process. Just start with one.

5. REFLECT + LOOK BACK

This one often gets overlooked (even by me). It’s so important to look back at past goals, milestones, accomplishments. Did you celebrate? Did you soak it up? If we don’t stop to pause and note what brought us to this moment, how will be get to the next milestone? Or will we even notice? In times of stress and uncertainty, it’s especially easy to omit this step, but maybe it will help push us to reach the next goal. Look at past notebooks, google docs, whatever you have from your “early days” and take a moment to pat yourself on the back and use this force within you to hit your next biz goal, in spite of the pandemic.

Final Thoughts…

While I REALLY hate 2020 and the trouble (understatement times infinity) this has caused so many people businesses, my hope is that this time to pause has offered you some additional time to breathe and reconnect with your yourself and your business.

That’s all I’ve got for ya. Is there anything you can think to add? Share below or shoot me a DM. We can build this resource up together! xo