It has now been exactly 5 months and I’m personally ready for COVID 19 to leave the building, the country, and the planet.   By nature, I’m a social person and my profession required many outside meetings a week.  The rest of the time was spent in my office with the lovely Associates that keep us running here at the Global HQ.  Now I spend much of my time alone.  Completely opposite of my life pre-Covid mode.

While this change in day to day life was not one I would have chosen, it has had its positive attributes along with the challenges.  In addition to being a social person, I am also an avid planner and find my calendar comforting.  During Covid mode, that has gone out of the window completely.  Somehow though, we must keep going and growing.

One way I am keeping active and sane is to participate in Networking events both as a host or guest.  This week I was on a Score Women’s Networking Zoom Event with 50 women from throughout So CA and one visitor from Mexico.  The Host asked us to answer this question.

“In the past 5 months, how has your business weathered the storm?”

For some that pivoted quickly, they are having their best year ever.  Part of this could be luck or strategic business planning.   Some businesses are by nature pandemic/recession-proof and essential.  If your business is not essential, what have you done to get back into the game?

She had some recommendation that I thought were solid and noteworthy:

  • Take an inventory of where you are now and review your financials.  A year to year comparisons can be helpful during times like this. If you know where you stand, you can move forward in an educated manner.
  •  Review your business plan.  Of course, it is Score, they are very big on Business Plans.   Business plans are living and breathing documents that are meant to be revisited regularly and adjusted according to what is happening now.  If you don’t have a plan, contact Score, they offer Free workshops and tools to help you create one:  https://www.score.org/
  •  Build and nurture Strategic Partnerships.  In Leads Club we call them Power Partners.  These are businesses that have the same, similar or complimentary Target Market as your business.  In fact, discovering your Strategic Partner professions is our topic this month, so I was glad to hear another professional singing the praises of this powerful concept.

From a personal perspective, I consider myself a positive person but in the past few months, I have had my moments.  Living in gratitude is an excellent and proven tool for being happy.   While journaling is not easy for me, I have been writing down 5 things a day that I am grateful for in a beautiful book from one of my favorite authors.   Check out   “The Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude”   By Sarah Ban Breathnach

Please share how you are staying sane and centered while in Pandemic Mode.  I’m purposely calling it Pandemic Mode as it helps remind me that this will not be forever, even though right now it feels that way.   Here is to all of us surviving and thriving in 2020!

Warmly,

Lisa