Dispensing the truth

in microdoses for now

I’ve been a business owner for 11 years (with many many ups, downs, twists and turns). I also worked at a global technology firm in 2008, and launched a new event planning company at the very end of 2019.

In other words, if I were to sum up everything I have learned in my career so far, the most true thing I could say I know for sure is that things do not always go to plan.

It’s the case in business as much as it is in life. We are humans who cannot anticipate every curveball that could be thrown our way…. It’s just not possible! It doesn’t really matter how big you grow or how established you are, there will be things thrown your way that couldn’t have been accounted for in a business plan, your yearly goals, your dreams, or even in your biggest fears and insecurities.

When unexpected things happen, sometimes the best thing we can give the issue at hand is a little bit of time. A moment to see how things shake out.

That’s the moment that I’m in right now, and I’ve decided to just be really really honest about that in these letters to you! I’m not ready to divulge all of the details, mostly because I’m still figuring out what all of those details even are. I’m not being coy, I’m just still sorting through it all.

You know I am always showing up with the truth here, for better or worse, but I do tend to shy away from writing when things feel hard. I’m trying to put that impulse aside.

So here’s what’s going on with me: A curveball was thrown at us in the form a flagship client contract being put on hold, which in turn put everything else into question.

It’s heavy, and I’m choosing to give it all some space.

Believe me, it is *so* tempting to make a plan, build another spreadsheet, do some more envelope math, figure it out, keep things moving, find a client, make the money, keep going, going, going. But, something I’ve learned the hard way many times over is that the quick fixes never hold. The bandaid-fix thing that might feel best in the moment usually ends up being something that holds me back in the future: taking on debt, making a quick hire, booking a red-flag project.

You know how that goes, I’m sure.

So this time around, I’m choosing the short term hard (sitting in uncertainty, not having all the answers, and yeah, taking a financial hit), in favor of what I hope will give me a longer term win (clarity, fulfillment, dare I even hope for some joy?!). I’m focusing on the foundation. Who are we as a team? Who am I as the leader? Who am I in my career? What are we all working towards?

Luckily I know that for me, a moment to pause can also be productive because I enjoy spending time evaluating things. I love to figure out what’s next. It’s my thing. If you’ve been a long time reader, you might remember my love for an After Action Report, a developmental exercise ( My Why, Delegate to Elevate, etc), and in a lot of ways I’m at my best when I’m working on ~figuring things out~.

However, I know for some, maybe even for you, it can be extremely difficult to feel like you’re standing still during a threshold moment - when something shifts, or changes course - whether that’s in your personal or professional life. But for me, this is the exciting part! The possibilities are endless, and uncovering what might be next is what brings me the most joy in my work.

Charting the course is what I love most about mentoring the planners I work with because usually I can see what’s possible for them, even if they cannot. Now, I’m (trying to) apply that gift to myself. Hard, but exciting.

If you’re someone who happens to be having a *moment* alongside me, I’d really love to know! There are times where this can feel big and maybe even a little scary (like, what am I even doing with my life?!) and times where the doorway is a little smaller but the way you walk through it can be so impactful if the steps are taken with conviction (but HOW do I get the things I want - bigger clients, a better balance between work and life, etc etc).

Anyway, I’m always down for a chat, text convo, or voice note exchange, and I mean it when I say I want you to reach out.

So… what’s going on with you, really??

<3

PS. I’d love to share the exercise I just had my team do, to help guide us all through this moment. It gave me a lot of clarity on how each of us views our role, the business as a whole, and what the future might hold. If you’re interested, shoot me a message, and I’ll share it with you! It would definitely apply whether you are part of a team of many, or a team of one.

PPS. You know I can’t leave you without a little levity. I’m very much *not shopping* right now, so I have no links to share, but I have been sneaking in moments to disassociate with some BRAVO. OMG who is watching Rhode Island? It is so stupid in the very best way, and it’s bringing me so much joy! The first episode with the aunties driving 15 minutes to the Pizza Momma’s house like they are taking a cross country road trip with their flasks in hand. I died. Also, “I dispense the truth and the weed” has got to be the most insane tagline in Housewives history. Whoever the producers are must be having so much fun with this. I could go on for hours, and every week when I watch I text Sarah, my RI buddy, to remind her how much I love it.