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You’re probably scared right now. You have every right to be. Maybe you’ve been forced to shut down your business because the government doesn’t deem it essential. Or maybe it’s very essential but it’s simply too dangerous for your customers to congregate. Maybe you’re not sure your business is going to survive the coronavirus.
Or maybe, like me, you’re battling on two fronts — fighting cancer while trying to keep your business alive through the pandemic.
I will say right from the start, I’m not asking for sympathy. I was writing articles before this one and will continue after this. But it seems crazy, from my perspective, to not write some of what I’ve learned from battling stage IV colon cancer while trying to keep my business and its franchise owners and employees healthy and safe from harm.
I hope some of this advice will be helpful to every business owner, sick or not, because we’ve all got a job to do during this global pandemic.
Be honest with your employees.
You may be scared, but they are, too. Giving everybody a lot of happy talk isn’t going to help anyone. That also doesn’t mean you need to go the other way and offer doom and gloom. Be transparent and answer any questions you’re asked, whether it’s about your own health or the future of the company.
It isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s the smart thing. Employees can’t help you build a better, stronger business if they don’t know what’s going on.
Go into fight mode.
This is so important. Whether it’s cancer or coronavirus, it isn’t delusional to believe that you’re going to come out of something bad stronger than ever. I really believe that. And if you don’t, well, you might as well pack it in.
But the honest truth is, it’s kind of fun fighting the good fight. These are opponents I wouldn’t have chosen, obviously, but like all entrepreneurs, I’m a problem solver, and the problem-solving part of this is enjoyable.
For instance, when I learned that I had cancer, I read everything I could get my hands on. I researched how other people beat the Big C. I embraced the concept of what’s sometimes called the “rip off and duplicate” approach. That is, I did my own medical research and worked with my doctors to create a hybrid approach that combines modern medicine with alternative therapies.
Get your business house in order.
Yeah, this isn’t fun to think about, but you really should organize all business account numbers, passwords, safe combinations and other relevant company information in one place. That helps others if something happens to you — but it’s for you, too. I never lose or forget passwords now.
Hire a consultant.
Before the pandemic hit, I hired an outside consultant to bring in more franchise sales and to clarify onboarding and other processes on the franchise side. It was a big help to me. Your mileage may vary with consultants, but if you’re facing a big challenge, it can’t hurt to bring somebody smart into your organization. They will look at it from a new angle and offer solutions on how to build your business.
Lean on your team.
If you have a partner, work together to evaluate your roles and delegate more responsibilities to other team members. My company Keyrenter’s co-founder, Nate Tew, fills in where he needs to when I’m away for medical treatments. He’s been a huge help to me.
Every business owner battling this crisis is going to need their colleagues now.
You worked hard to assemble a great team, and you’re foolish if you don’t utilize them. It isn’t a weakness to rely on others. It means you knew what you were doing when you put this team together. And while my energy may not always be what it was, I still meet regularly with each team member to mentor them, answer questions and brainstorm future business plans.
Embrace the uncertainty.
We all have business plans, and some of our business models have been shaken up lately. That’s OK. There’s more than one path for a company to reach its goals. We all need to remember that right now.
Use your time wisely.
I think we’re all thinking about time differently. A lot of people aren’t spending their free time the way they’d like to — like going to a concert with friends. But many of us are spending better quality time with family. That shows you can find something good, even in a pandemic.
I was diagnosed with colon cancer in November, and of course, I’ve had to slow down and spend my time in surreal ways that I never would have imagined. I sit in a portable oxygen chamber once a day for up to 90 minutes; the oxygen is killing, we hope, cancer cells. It may not sound like an ideal way to spend time, but I answer email during that time, or I read a book.
That’s a good thing. When I was swamped with working and building my business, I probably should have made more time to read. We all could probably make better use of our time. Not that I regret spending so much time on my business; mostly, I don’t. I’m extremely proud of what I’ve built. But I do feel that if I had slowed down a bit, I might have gone to the doctor sooner than I did.
So, look, we’re all in an epic fight. You’re probably scared right now; we all are. We have every right to be. But we need to look at this crisis as an opportunity to emerge from something bad and be stronger than ever. We’re problem solvers. Seriously, this virus doesn’t stand a chance against us. And if I can help it, neither do these cancer cells.