The Roller Coaster of Business Has Its Ups and Downs
It’s not the easiest time to be an entrepreneur.
I’ve been at this entrepreneurship thing for 30+ years now. I’ve been through plenty of ups and downs. Some successes (and plenty of failures) were my own doing. Others were completely out of my control.
Right now, there are a lot of business owners dealing with the uncontrollable.
Space Mountain is one of my favorite roller coasters. I’ve ridden it hundreds of times, and I know every inch of the track with my eyes closed. (to be fair, Space Mountain takes place in the dark, so it doesn’t much matter if my eyes are open or not)
The slow steady climb as you “blast off,” the moment you shoot into the blankness of outer space, the twists and the curves. And the drops. The drops.
It’s thrilling. That combination of fun and fear. Knowing I’ll walk out of the ride alive…but also feeling just a little afraid of what might happen next.
That’s the feeling I have right now, as an entrepreneur who’s seen market contractions before.
I’m doing my best to enjoy the ride. (It’s one of our Core Values, after all.)
I’m pretty sure I’ll make it off the ride just fine. But…I can’t guarantee it.
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Many of our clients are scared. Whether or not they’ve been impacted in the last few months, they sense the collective uncertainty.
The truth is, I feel the fear. I bet you do, too. It’s in the air.
It’s a scary time to be in business. Many of the people I talk to, they say they’re fine. Except they aren’t.
They may be holding their own—most of our clients are, and we’re doing everything possible to support them. But all of us are fighting an uphill battle every single day.
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What do you do on a roller coaster when you’re scared?
You scream.
You acknowledge the fear instead of hiding it. Everyone else on that roller coaster knows exactly how you’re feeling. And it gives them permission to scream as well.
Literal screaming may not be as helpful in this situation. Talking to a fellow entrepreneur might be.
I guarantee: if you’re feeling scared, you’re not alone.
Reach out to another business owner. Tell them how you really feel.
Maybe they’ll tell you, too.
P.S. Is your business roller coaster feeling a little too thrilling? Connect with one of our consultants: we’re here to help you enjoy the ride again.
