As we enter week 4 of the Pandemic, we are now seeing reports of over 175 countries that are infected with COVID-19. The Surgeon General, Jerome Adams tells us that "the next week is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, it's going to be our 9/11 moment, it's going to be the hardest moment for many Americans in their entire lives." How does one react to such a statement? As a small business owner, myself it is important that we remain focused, persistent and open to transformations.
Staying focused is easy if you stay in your routine. For me, that means, take my morning walk with my puppy to help clear my mind. This also includes Self-care. As a business owner or leader you need to take care of yourself. That means something different for everyone. As I continue to practice Self-care I am finding ways during this difficult time to support our local businesses. Here are four products that I wanted to share with you that are helping me stay healthy and focused:
1. Juice Plus - getting my full daily intake of fruits and vegetables without having to eat them all. My friend, Jennifer Findings is a Consultant for Juice Plus. She introduced me to them. I feel great and am not craving the bad stuff (like sweets). Taking these supplements has helped me with my weight loss goals as well. I can't make any claims but love what it is doing for me and my family.
2. Kannaway CBD Oil - in using this as a daily supplement this helps me regulate my Endocannabinoid System. There are many health benefits to using CBD. While I can't make any claims, it has helped me tremendously in the past few years.
3. Color Street - for those of you that know me, I am obsessed with having my nails looking beautiful all the time. Color Street Manicure strips are an easy way to polish your nails when you don't have the time. They are a clean product, that is long lasting and comes in many patterns and colors. My friend Kathy Miller introduced me to them. What a great way to make you feel good about yourself.
4. Jamberry Nails - I have been using their lacquer for years now. They are also a clean solution to having beautiful nails. They come in many shades. My friend Rachel Comstock introduced me to them.
Staying persistent in this trying time may be difficult but it can be done. People have thanked me for being persistent. You just need to learn to do it in a nice way. Persistence is defined as firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action despite difficulty or opposition. Follow-up to clients and prospects are essential and the frequency of outreach differs from one person to the other. Just ask them, when is the right time for us to continue our conversation? They will respect you for it. Remember to use different means of outreach (email, call, text, social media). You want to be the first person they think of when it is time to get back to our new normal.
As small business owners we need to brace ourselves for a new transformation. This can be in the way you do business, altering the different types of services and products you offer based on the new demands of consumers. McKinsey & Company describes five stages, leading from the crisis of today to the next normal that will emerge after the battle against coronavirus has been won:
1. Resolve - efforts are under way to respond to medical shortages, remote work has been established, we are also seeing the effects of supply and demand
2. Resilience - in the face of these challenges, resilience is a vital necessity
3. Return - Returning businesses to operational health after a severe shutdown is extremely challenging
4. Reimagination - organizations that reinvent themselves to make the most of better insight and foresight, as preferences evolve, will disproportionally succeed
5. Reform - Business leaders need to anticipate popularly supported changes to policies and regulations as society seeks to avoid, mitigate, and preempt a future health crisis of the kind we are experiencing today
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Remember we are all in this together! Stay strong! Stay safe! If you want someone to chat with during this difficult time, I am here for you. Don't hesitate to reach out!
