Business - Rolling with the Punches

In the spring of 2020 we are in the midst of an international pandemic. No one saw it coming and we are now in the shadow of a global recession. These are scary times indeed, but the most important thing is not to panic. It may be a little cliché to quote a line from a Rudyard Kipling poem, so please forgive me;

‘If you can keep your head when all about are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too.’

If by Rudyard Kipling

In these challenging times Kipling’s words resonate like never before. We are all up against it in differing ways and whilst we can’t influence world economics, we can influence how we to respond to this crisis. We will all need to dig deep. Resilience is everything.

So we must all get our ducks in a row because that old adage ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ is unfortunately very true.

Lockdown has meant that you’ve binge watched the Jason Bourne trilogy on ITV2 (again!), completed a 1,000 pieces puzzle and eaten your own bodyweight in snacks. It feels like Boxing Day but sadly it isn’t. So I’m calling it - it’s time to get back into a routine and start on that to do list. No more excuses.

Here are a few ways to nurture your business whilst we are in lockdown:

Product innovation or re-design - take this opportunity to spend time on research and development.
Website SEO - essential for a visible website (but I appreciate that it’s beyond dull).
Financial housekeeping - pre prepare your VAT return rather than doing it at the last minute - avoid that Sunday night homework feeling!
Business costs analysis - re-examine all your outgoings and be brutal.
Social Media - plan and photograph future posts. Easier said than done when you’re confined to your home, but needs must.
Home studio refresh - filing, cleaning, tidying and for a slightly more fun activity, design a creative pin board.

So many personal qualities are required if you want to run your own business; resilience, creativity, confidence and a work ethic, amongst others. The list is endless but the one never mentioned, yet it’s absolutely essential, is a good sense of humour. Trust me, right now, you need one and if you haven’t got one, get one!

The struggle is all part of the journey. At the very least, the disasters, mistakes and failures make for great anecdotes. Be assured that south London polite society is well-versed on the trials and tribulations of Harrow & Green. After this lockdown I suspect we could all have quite an extensive collection of war stories. To avoid this fate, we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.

Bleak times could be on the horizon but this is also an opportunity. A re-invention or a change in direction could re-invigorate your business. Now is the time to be brave. I’m not advocating misplaced ambition here but a little bit of self belief wouldn’t go amiss!

We all have differing business plans, overheads and liabilities but what we do all have in common is a drive to succeed and overcome every obstacle! We are all personally accountable for our businesses and how they are run - this is the time to step up to the mark.

Trust me, it will be OK. I’ll see you all on the other side.

Tanya Taylor15 April 2020Comment