Bonus Episode #1 Your Jewelry and Product Business in the Face of Uncertainty
Breathe in, breathe out.
It’s a scary time to be a business owner right now. I’m sure COVID-19 wasn’t a part of your 2020 business plan, but here we are.
Although it might feel like the world is ending, this is what you’ve been preparing for as a smart, independent designer.
Things will go back to business as usual, but in the meantime, you have a choice…
You can freak out, make a bunch of fear-based decisions, and possibly tank your business, or you can be mindful, devise a strategy, and look at this as an opportunity for growth.
Yes, there’s always a silver lining, m’dear!
You can take it from me. My first business crashed during the recession of 2008. Since rebuilding, I’ve dedicated my time to teaching other entrepreneurs how to build a business that can survive anything.
Or, you can take if from Jason Ayers. He’s a strategic business growth consultant and certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner who’s worked with a wide range of companies to help them discover the “hidden path” that will lead them to their desired success.
He recorded this two-part episode with me to offer some advice on what you can do NOW that will protect your business and put you a step ahead of this situation.
First, you need to tackle your mindset.
Create Space for Yourself
We create our environment, and our environment creates us.
You may not realize it, but you are likely surrounded by stimuli that are making you feel panicked.
There’s a difference between preparedness and panic. The news is necessary for keeping you informed, but it’s designed to be addictive by evoking constant emotional responses – mostly negative.
Yeah, it might be time to unplug for a little bit.
Shift Your Perspective
Jason calls it going to the witness's perspective.
Just observe what’s going on in yourself without making immediate emotional judgments. Use whatever practice works for you, whether it be meditation, journaling, or just mentally stepping back for a moment.
State the facts.
- “The more I read the news, the more stressed out I feel.”
- “Sales have slowed down, and I don’t have a plan to replace them.”
- “The trunk show I was planning to go to was canceled, and I’m afraid my business will crash.”
This gives you a clearer picture of what’s actually happening, so you can move on to the next step: evaluating the story you’re telling yourself.
Check Your Story
Humans are meaning-making machines. We’re designed to generalize and tell stories; it’s part of our survival.
Here’s the thing, the stories we tell ourselves, the generalizations we make, they’re not always true. But we often accept them as truth without checking the evidence.
The story you’re telling yourself, the generalizations you’re making, are you certain they’re 100% true? Most likely not.
Now that you’ve made it this far, listen to the full episode above to hear Jason walk you through an exercise for reframing these stories to get you closer to where you want to be.
In part two, we discuss things you can do to actually bring in money during a time like this. Keep an eye out for that later this week.
Until then, stay safe, sane, and healthy.
xo, Tracy
Links:
Done-for-You Marketing + Email Bundle
Train Your Customers to Buy From You Online
Episode #210: How to Recession-Proof Your Business
SBA Loans for Small Businesses
