Photo Credit Mark Cruz on Unsplash
Sometimes, when you’re in business, things just aren’t working. What do you do then? I have some suggestions for moving forward.
Our oldest son was driving home from work one night last fall when he was halted due to a tobacco barn fire. Tobacco is hung in a barn and cured by a smoldering fire on the floor of the barn. It had been very dry, so we had more tobacco barn fires than usual.
Many firefighters were there working hard to prevent the fire from spreading, as well as a crew from the electric company who would work to restore power to residents once the fire died down. My son shared photos in the family chat. This would impact other family members coming home later. To get home, he had to turn around and backtrack, then take a different way.
Sometimes, things happen in business that require us to backtrack and regroup. Hopefully nothing as dangerous as a fire, but we may find our way forward blocked. We may need to rethink our strategy, keeping in mind our goal, like my son did when he went a different route home.
If you find your way forward is not working like you planned, consider a few different angles.
- Think about what may be causing the roadblock. Is it something related to the market? Is it something you need to change and adapt to? Or is it a problem internally?
- Look at your goals. Be clear about what you want to accomplish. Have your goals changed?
- Talking to a mentor may help bring clarity to what is happening and provide guidance based on experience to help you see your way through.
- Focus on your core strengths. Do you need to market yourself differently? Do you need to shift the focus of your business to attract new clients or customers?
- Consider how technology can help you overcome challenges and become more efficient.
We all want smooth sailing. My son thought he was going to have just another drive home from work that night. But when something prevents us from reaching our goals, we need to consider why and adjust our plan.
Have you been in a similar situation? If so, I’d love to hear your story! Email me and let me know!