I had a really great time speaking with 8 business owners during the free mini-Strategy Sessions I held this week. It was so great to connect with people from Australia, Canada and the US all from my dining room table! Just some of the awesome entrepreneurs I chatted with included a life coach, a freelance marketer, a lawyer, a wedding planner, a business manager and a graphic designer. 

And do you want to know something really grounding? Everyone was challenged by the same topics.

Sure, they were all unique to their area of expertise, but we’re all seeking answers to similar questions in our own way.

So as best I can… here’s my summary of some of the key lessons from today’s sessions. 

• YES. It’s okay to expand your service offering, even if it feels “off brand”. (It’s all in the story you tell. You can make anything “on brand” if it comes from a place of good intention.) If you can bring value and serve people during this time—while keeping your own business afloat—DO IT. 

• YES. It’s okay to pivot and try something new at the moment, even if it doesn’t end up being a long-term thing. If you’ve always been tempted to experiment—DO IT. 

• YES. It’s okay to continue talking about your services, even if you’re nervous how people might perceive it. Again, it comes down to intention. You can talk about your services in a way that is helpful and beneficial to others, without it feeling like a sales pitch. We all need to stay in business! So when it comes to ongoing communication across your socials—DO IT. 

• YES. Now is the time for flexibility with clients, particularly when it comes to payments. In the same way we as business owners want money in OUR bank accounts, clients are conscious of keeping it in theirs. Be understanding of that. Offer to defer deposits, offer payment plans instead of your traditional payment structure, extend a 12-month retainer to 18 months. Whatever you can to keep clients coming in and on your books—DO IT. (Just make sure you have a contract!)