Pause. Reflect. Analyze.
How to utilize a downturn to spark creativity and innovation?
Many business owners focus on clients, trying to find new business or just trying to keep up with the present, which leaves little time to really look and review where they are (other than financially). This time of year, especially after the changes, pauses, and upheaval that the Pandemic brought on, can be a good opportunity to do that and plan for the future. When was the last time you visited your business plan or goals for both you personally as well as the company?
Time for More Questions and Introspection:
What is working well? Make sure you are in sync with your brand vision. Continually ask yourself and your team are we supporting our core values. Also, think about efficiency, what items are clients asking for that from time and financial standpoint make sense.
What isn’t working? Make sure your structure both physical space, employees and others involved in your business. We realized we didn’t need the large office space and overhead as most can work remotely, so we adapted and moved to Hayvn a great co-working space which has so many more benefits and costs are better.
How is your team? Is everyone that is supposed to be, as author Jim Collins says, on the “right” bus. It is time to query and get feedback. People like to be valued, acknowledged and asked for their opinions.
Try something new. Ask your team if there is something they need or want to learn. Consider a class online. There are no more excuses as you can do it from your home anytime, day or night. Business of Home, a design industry trade source, has ongoing seminars on everything from pricing and legal to licensing to product design, etc.
Explore doing new things or doing others differently. Experiment. Take your passions and see if they can be other business avenues. For example, designer Donna Benedetto used to do a lot of decorative painting prior to interior design. She’s tapped back into her creative side and developed an art business to compliment her interior design practice. Fuel your passion.
Designers are creative types who use problem solving to find new opportunities. Check out Robert Passal, designer, retailer and now product designer. He was looking for wallpaper for his clients and couldn’t find what he wanted. Now he has boutique self-produced line.
Lastly, there is the head/gut connection. If things don’t feel right, there is typically a reason.
Take the time for yourself and notice.
Here is to 2021: The Year of Possibilities.
If you are looking to craft your story and need help. Reach out.
To learn more, contact Beth@imagesanddetails.com or (203) 966 8203