"Pivoting" vs. Accelerating - How My Core Values, Purpose, and Identity Powered Me Through the Pandemic
When the lockdown orders started going into effect, were you nervous? I certainly was.
And then I immediately felt inundated with messages, posts, and emails from people who were "pivoting.” Suddenly everyone wanted to help me “pivot” so I could “survive” the #covid19 #pandemic.
Everyone seemed to have an answer to save my business, a webinar about revenue sources, tips for self care, resources for homeschool, and invitations to virtual networking/co-working/working-working.
I had a very strong reaction against pivoting. I wasn’t resisting 'change,’ I was questioning whether I even needed to change. I went back to my time machine and started reviewing my own brand identity, values, and niche.
What I realized: I don’t need to pivot to anything. I did the hard work right the first time.
What I mean is, I invested most of 2019 in understanding who I am, what I offer, and how awesome it is when I connect with the people I’m meant to support. Instead of discounting my services or pivoting to some new thing that isn’t in my niche, I doubled-down on my commitment to doing what Blue Bike does: helping small businesses and nonprofit organizations transform their marketing. That’s it.
I just did the same things I had already been doing - sharing ideas, following up to questions, posting on social about what matters in the world, talking to people (virtually), showing empathy, and offering flexibility when I could.
I embraced patience, but I also made it clear that I was still here, still the same person, still the same awesomeness, and still available to help if anyone needed it.
Instead of panic, I focused on my purpose.
And I let March drift into April.
What happened: April, May and June I was busier than I’d ever been.
Fortunately, I began intentionally attracting people in 2019 who share my mindset and values. We are all are in it for the long haul, we all value our brands and see investment where others see “expense,” we all are collaborative and truly care about our clients successes.
Because my clients are awesome, their clients are awesome, their clients are awesome, and so on…Work started rolling in.
Investments in tomorrow need to be made today, and I am so glad that my clients and collaborators share that belief and continued to invest in our work together.
What happens next: Leaning into purpose
I feel like my brand is designed purposefully. I am working to be more structured and intentional around racial equity issues, and you’ll see that in the strategy and communication moving forward.
On an operational, day-to-day level, I am looking at fall and wondering where the work will come from.
But, instead of panic, I’m just going to restart the cycle of stating my purpose, reaching out to the like-minded, and exploring new, virtual ways of connecting.
ARE YOU READY TO DRILL DOWN AND DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE?
If you found yourself in a state of panic (or even in a state of slight disarray), then maybe it’s due time to focus on drilling down to find your purpose.
A recent article, “Shift Your Organization from Panic to Purpose” in the Harvard Business Review, asks:
“What might business possible, business next, business better look like? What might business with purpose accomplish? The challenge for leaders now is to steer colleagues and associates from business panic to brand purpose. Indeed, (re)activating your purpose can provide stability to your people and forward momentum for your business.”
In the span of 2020, I’ve worked with two awesome clients on this very thing - investing in purpose to find stability, focus, and renewed energy.
It was early days of pandemic and Arlington Home Interiors, a luxury interior home design firm in Northern Virginia, had engaged me to refresh and better define their brand identity for 2020.
When things started shutting down, they pressed forward. There was a minute of pause in March for them, like everyone who was stunned and paralyzed, but then they leaned into the identity brief we’d created together and realized that they hadn’t changed. In fact, they knew themselves better than before.
It was challenging for us to define ourselves as a company, who we are, what we stand for and what makes us special. It's hard to get to that without an objective perspective. The result was that we were a bit generic in our communications to our clients.
The client and partner survey results were exciting to hear. Knowing how consistent their experience with us has been. They all pointed out attributes that we kind of took for granted but later realized those were the things that differentiated us.
- Mark & Suzanne Manlove, Arlington Home Interiors
They are still awesome and their clients - homeowners who are ready to transform their living spaces - still needed home transformation. Even in a pandemic.
I’m so excited to see their brand moving forward, clients engaging them, and them lean into their purpose instead of panic about things outside of their control.
By working to define your purpose, vision, beliefs, and essence now, moving through crisis will become easier. With the framework that supports your brand in place, and the integrity you’ll need to stick to that framework, you will be able to hold steady through the storm, buoyed by the fact that you’re going to get through this, too, because you’re awesome and you know it.
Self-examination is extremely difficult. You need outside help to breakdown your brand. It's impossible to separate yourself for something that's so close to you.
Holly was able to gather up the pieces, identify what was important and turn it into a narrative. Every company could benefit from that type of insight. We will refer to her Identity document again and again.
- Mark & Suzanne Manlove, Arlington Home Interiors
If you are really looking for a way to define your purpose, commit to your beliefs, and create a brand centered on your awesome value as a service to the clients you work for, then hit me up.
I’ve been through the process myself and am excited to help you next.