Episode 2: Conquering Coronavirus: Tips For Entrepreneurs To Survive and Thrive In Times Of Crisis

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There is no new normal. Two days into the California shelter-in-place orders, Blake and Jacob are starting to realize how their lives and business will change over the next short while. 

While Jacob and Blake are used to working from home, Coronavirus has required them to have their three year old present 24-7, with no outside help. For entrepreneurs and small business owners right now, the discomfort around new shelter-in-place regulations is palpable. At 7 a.m. their daughter comes downstairs wondering, “mommy and daddy what are we doing today?” 

The Morgans are now trying to do as much as they can before the birth of their son in May, but they are struggling just like many of you. Work is now the second priority to taking care of their daughter, and trade-offs are being made every single day. The new challenging situation of the Coronavirus doesn’t mean you need to give up your dreams, but may simply require a shift in focus or perspective. 

In this podcast episode Blake shares perspective of her maternity leave, and how she feels like the whole world is on maternity leave with her. Jacob talks about how he is pivoting his own business to sustain a quieter season, as many of his own projects have been canceled or postponed. The couple talks about managing other people’s anxiety, and how they’ve dealt with this in the past when client-anxiety had the potential to impact their own performance. 

Blake and Jacob share tools to deal with mental stress and create boundaries with other people. Self-care is critical right now, and if you allow other people to rock you, it could have long-term repercussions. Being self-employed is about boundaries, managing clients and yourself. Entrepreneurs must be resilient and recognize that the zeitgeist of this moment is hysteria. 

You can ground yourself by by continuing to check in with yourself, and use the tools provided in this podcast to bring yourself back to the moment. Many pundits recommend entrepreneurs to have a routine, to exercise every day, to ask for help, and avoid triggering channels. Being your own boss is having the discipline to say no to your own impulses even if that means abstaining from reading the news and social media. 

The new normal is anything but normal. This too shall pass, but it’s likely you will never forget what is happening right now. In this episode, you will hear about how Blake and Jacob spend time taking care of their heads in order to be better spouses, parents and entrepreneurs. They also discuss how to continue to use multiple sources of income, and the lie of the idea of passive income. You can continue to thrive even during Coronavirus, even if you’re stuck at home, or you aren’t currently able to operate like normal. Creativity is the silver lining you can lean into when life gets tough and business seems impossible. 

Take some advice from Blake and Jacob to ensure you not only survive these difficult months, but are better for it when things calm down.