This blog post is for micropreneurs and other organization leaders. I never thought about this stuff in my younger employee days, when I hadn't been through all the seasons of owning a business. So feel free to skip this one if it's not resonating!

Where I live in Louisiana, USA, leaves start to fall and the air begins to cool at this time of year. We welcome this change after each hot summer.

But in business, I did not always welcome change. My engineering mindset has always wanted to find the perfect business plan and put it on autopilot. Well 11 years in, I don't think it works that way...

Because the world keeps changing. And just like Louisiana has seasons, my business has seasons.

I'm not alone - those of you in the grant world have likely faced change and uncertainty over the last year. Several times my insightful friends (some of you reading now!) have dropped zingers of wisdom that I still think about. At other times I've asked for wisdom directly, somewhat desperate to make sense of what was going on and what I should do.

And now as I sense another change in season, here are 5 wise thoughts that I'll take from the closing season:

1. A big unexpected change means we "absorb, process, grieve, and pivot all at the same time."

Wow, when I heard this from a new friend who had worked for a large Federal contractor, I held onto it. She put into words what I had not. While I love workforce development programs and reskilling initiatives (and have been part of them), there are moments when we have no energy to reskill. I have more understanding now for people in this situation. It's a lot to process, and that takes some time.

2. "It's not personal."

This one came from a real estate agent friend. Real estate had an amazing couple years... then nothing. I asked if the slowness shook her identity (because my slowness was shaking mine!). She said no, because it's not personal. There were big factors outside her control. Nobody wanted to buy a house with high interest rates and high house prices. She had seen the ups and downs before and knew that it wasn't all dependent on her.

3. The economy has seasons that affect our work.

The blog article linked above rocked my world. I'm no economist, but I love a good pattern. When I shared the article with my financial advisor, he encouraged me to yes, "buy a straw hat in winter." Get ready for the spring because it will come again. And if I wasn't prepared, I'd lose some prime growing season. So I tried to do what farmers do during winter - a lot of rest, a little regrouping, and then planting new seeds.

4. "Some businesses did great during COVID."

This one came from an advisor who has been with me since the beginning. She's so wise. The general economy has a cycle, and almost all businesses have cycles... but some businesses have cycles opposite the general economy. Some businesses actually thrive in recession! If you lead an organization, look back and try to understand your cycle over the last 10 years and where you might be today. (I am thinking the larger economy is in fall/winter, and grant people like me are in spring. We'll see.)

5. "Look for funding to be shifted to the states"... and "You have intangible assets that can be built again."

A university leader and friend wisely pointed out that he expected work formerly funded by the Federal government to now be awarded and managed by states. I had been discouraged because I have zero state connections! I had put all my eggs in the (very big) Federal funding basket. But then an economics professor and friend gave me great encouragement - I do have intangible assets that I take with me from season to season!

Maybe you are also in a new season or role. I will pass on the encouragement I received - YOU have the intangible assets of experience, connections, and the ability to build more experience and connections. It might take time (see #1 above), but let's embrace the new season together.

Photo by Susan Jones on Unsplash