Hindsight is Indeed 2020

Happy new year?! I have debated blogging about 2020 for so long I decided to wait til 2021 to tackle a few thoughts on the subject. Like all of you reading this, it’s been a struggle for me.

When the lockdowns hit in March I was optimistic that it would be a few weeks, maybe a couple months. I was determined to keep my team in tact and my businesses afloat. I was determined to be a leader in my community and industry to keep positive energies high. I was determined to keep my staff feeling supported and connected. All while homeschooling my kids and then leading the fight to see my schools reopen, helping my husband launch a new business (in a pandemic!) and dealing with a significant health challenge in our family. To say it was a rough year is an understatement bigger than saying the Grand Canyon is a small hole in the ground. It’s been absolutely grueling.

We dipped into savings, received the PPP, cut spending, and immediately pivoted to learning how to produce virtual events. We picked up several new clients through the virtual opportunities for which I will be forever grateful. It wasn’t enough to make up the incredible financial loss but it was enough to stay afloat. For Rocca, we shifted from promotional products to sourcing PPP and again, stayed afloat.

Personally, my self care was two-fold. First, I would grab a large roadie and ride around Austin on long drives with my husband while I cried and vented about the losses and stress. It was Driving Miss Jennifer nearly nightly for months. Second, I would walk. And walk. Walk alone. Walk with friends. Walk some more. The drives have now disappeared from my routine but the walks with dear friends will remain.

According to Forbes, more than 10,000 small businesses have permanently closed and 800 more are closing everyday. Simply put, this can’t go on any longer. What can you do? If you have buying power in a corporation or association, spend some money. I will lose it if I hear one more person say “oh man, I’m so sad to see XX company go out of business”. If you want to see someone stay in business, be a customer. Refer other customers.

“Everybody row the boat” is the mantra I repeated on team calls throughout the year. It’s important now for everyone, everywhere, to row. It’s also important to live with optimism. Live with bright futures in mind. Live an appropriate level of caution, but live.

Happy new year.