When the world gets hectic, keeping a positive attitude can feel a lot like swimming against the current. Things that used to come easily suddenly require more and more energy, building up over time to contribute to struggles like anxiety and burnout. While we can’t control the world around us, there are things we can do to help ourselves keep going and our businesses thrive.
Remember History
As much as news organizations want us to believe each and every bad thing is a “once in a lifetime” type of disaster, people have gotten through hard times before, and we will get through whatever hard times are coming our way now. Resilient businesses are the same way, surviving and even thriving through environments that made their competitors stumble. Here are a few of our favorite examples:
Netflix
Netflix started to right a wrong we’ve all experienced at one time or another: late fees. They revolutionized the DVD rental industry in the late 90s by charging a per-rental fee instead of a per-day or per-week fee. Then, in 2007, they adapted to the internet age by creating a streaming service.
While the recession in 2008 negatively impacted many entertainment businesses as consumers cut costs to try to afford their essentials, at $9 a month for unlimited streaming, Netflix was seen as an affordable alternative for families who could no longer afford going to theaters or renting new releases from their local stores. They showed continued growth well into 2009 despite other market fluctuations and cemented themselves as the streaming service for all other services to follow.
Amazon
When Jeff Bezos started Amazon in 1994, things were still looking up for the internet, but that changed rapidly in the early 2000s as the dot-com bubble burst. Amazon stock fell over 90% in the days that followed, dropping its value to a low that took a decade to bounce back from.
While they struggled to regain ground, they were able to maximize their unusual Cash Conversion Cycle, which allowed them to receive payment for sold items before payment was due to their suppliers. This offered them flexibility that many companies did not have at that time. Now, as we look back nearly 25 years later, what was earth-shattering at the time is now an unfortunate dip in the history of one of the most successful companies in the world.
Slack
If you’ve ever worked remotely or with a hybrid team, you’ve probably at least heard of Slack. It’s the youngest company on our list, as it was founded in 2009 as the world was still reeling from the global financial crisis of 2008. Where many businesses saw no hope, Slack founder Stewart Butterfield saw an opportunity to serve organizations that were pivoting to remote models to reduce overhead costs.
Since then, Slack has continued to integrate with other popular remote work tools and focus on a convenient UX that makes it easy for remote workers to collaborate, converse, and share their finished projects. 16 years later, they are still a popular solution for remote teams of all sizes.
Engage In Community
Community looks different for everyone, but as social creatures, building relationships with other people is important for both personal and professional well-being. If you don’t have people around you who are regularly available for you to talk to, support, and get support from, some great places to find that kind of community are coworking spaces, local library or park district events, and religious organizations. While each one creates a different atmosphere and may connect you with people who serve different purposes in your life, they are each generally full of people who are also looking for friendship and peer support.
As a business, community-centric practices can also help you thrive during challenging times. No matter the state of the world, people like to do business with those whom they know, like, and trust. What better way to build positive relationships with your local community than to have your company participate in meaningful community events? Often, taking part in community activities is a relatively cost-effective way to get your name out there and increase word of mouth.
Stay Active
As cliche as it may be, taking good care of your body is part of taking good care of your mind and soul, too. You don’t need to add marathon training to your already-long list of to-dos, but prioritize your current active routine or try to add some activity to your day.
One great way to do this with your team is to start using walking meetings when you don’t need to be at your computer for the agenda at hand. If you work remotely, pop in a pair of headphones and go for a walk around the block; if you work in an office, walk together to grab coffee or refill your water bottle.
You Can Do It. Just Keep Swimming!
Whatever has been stressing you out recently, we hope this article has been able to provide some encouragement and hope. You have what it takes to survive and thrive through these tumultuous times, you just have to keep at it and stay flexible so you can adapt to new trends and challenges. Whatever your next step is, we’re here to support you.
