Striving during Pandemic

I think we all agree that the pandemic affects everyone. Although not equally, every single person on the planet is affected. Unless you produce personal protective equipments (APD) or hand sanitizer, you’d be affected quite badly. Cut down opening hours and other restrictions sure are forcing you to think harder to make sure you are able to sustain your business. If we shall comfort you, let us tell you it’s not just you, all lines of work are struggling. But at the same time, don’t get too comfortable. Just because it is the new normal doesn’t mean it we need to adjust to it and indulge in it. We businesses need to see ahead. When this is all over, where do you want to start from?

As a business owner myself, I choose to think of this pandemic as a challenge we need to brave. It is not a fight against the virus, we are not medics. But rather, it is a fight for our future, the future of the business, the future of the people in the business. Here are a few things we need to take note on when trying to sustain our businesses:

1. Keep going back to your business values
   During the first year you started a business, you have strong beliefs and principles. Search for those, go back to them. This hard time is the best time to re-establish your faith in why you’re doing what you’re doing.

2. Emphasize on your strengths
   Remind your audience, clients, and customers why your products and services are different. They had something they saw in you when they first believed in you and your products, remind them of that! Not once, not twice, but over and over again.

3. Be open-minded and innovate when needed
   At times like this, you can’t be too idealistic. You need to survive to thrive. Nobody’s buying a new shirt? Facemasks are the new fashion.

4. Take risks, but be careful and responsible
   Be brave enough to take risks. The rules are there for a reason but don’t make them an excuse for your inability to innovate and grow.

5. Keep creating (hi)story
   The best stories are usually written during the most difficult times. Believe in what you do and keep writing, because hard work pays of, it’s going to be a great story!

So to conclude, I’m going to borrow the caption written for our Instagram post on the same topic: Starting a business is hard, sustaining it is harder. But to sustain a business during a pandemic is a whole new level of hard. It’s like fighting those minibosses in a zombie game where your allies are dead. Why minibosses? Because the big boss is coming after the pandemic, it’s all the after effects and the decisions you will have to make when this is all over and you need a jump start your business competing with other businesses that are also starting over. Just like in the game, if we are playing well and beating these minibosses the right way, we usually have an advantage beating the big boss. You choose where you’ll stand when the big boss arrives.