2008 – Banking collapse & Austerity

2020 – Lockdown & economic standstill (for some)

2022 -Recession?

When you think of these dates and the associated financial hardship, you might think they weren’t separate at all. In fact, you could go back to the 1980s and 1990s and might argue that for many, it’s been a constant struggle to survive leave alone thrive. It’s as though we’re stuck in a bizarre version of an economic Groundhog Day.

Whatever the colour of your political rosette, we can surely agree we are facing challenging times in business and in our personal lives. For many, we are already there. Official or not, we appear to be in a recession.

There’s a basic choice. Do you pull the duvet over your head and hope it will all go away or will you ride out the storm? Better still, will you see it as an opportunity to grow? Maybe it’s time to do what you’ve always wanted to do. Isn’t it time to go for your dream even if it means you might crash and burn in the process?

I want you all to see this as an opportunity to follow that dream you’ve been fantasying about. Or are you moved to connect with your Purpose and to make the difference you’ve always wanted to make?

The conventional advice will be something like

• Cut expenses

• Adapt & or pivot

• Cash Is King. Improve your cash flow

• Work hard and don’t give up

Your mindset determines your outcome. The first thing to recognise is that nobody is going to rescue you. I stopped looking for politicians to rescue me a long time ago, but they have recently given us a valuable gift.

Not their intention perhaps, but they’ve taught us the importance and value of integrity.

Your customers are desperate for honesty and authenticity. If you don’t illustrate it, they won’t trust you, and they’ll go somewhere else.

How do you build trust?

By doing what you’ll say you’ll do of course. But it starts with you. Do your clients or customers know who you are? Not the smiling person in a business suit or uniform, but the person behind the facade. Are you willing to share your foundation story? This is the story that informs people why you do what you do, the lessons learned and the experience that enables you to serve your clients, your customers.

They want to know why you are the person to help them. They want to know you can help them because you understand them. In short, they want to know who you are.

It’s my belief, our only task is to be who we are born to be. When we achieve that, we live our Purpose. If you don’t think you know your purpose, can you at least acknowledge you are born with talents and gifts?

Now more than ever, we all need the courage to step up and show who and why we are the person with the solution we have.

Next time, How