What Do You Do When There Is Nothing to Do?

To keep your business going in tough times, think back to what you did to build it up in the first place

BY JAMES A. HOLLOWAY

Most businesses have cycles. They have periods where they produce revenue with no indication that it will ever stop. Then they have downturns when there is little to no revenue being produced. It’s in these downturns that business owners have their mettle tested. These economic challenges can be seasonal, the result of changes in consumer demand, or the result of a natural disaster or other crisis (much like the one we’re facing right now).

The suddenness of a downturn can dictate how easily a business owner is able to adapt. If the market slows over a considerable length of time, the owner can more easily alter their business plan. However, a downturn like this one, which was almost immediate, makes it much more difficult for a company to adapt. A business owner may take advantage of a slowdown to catch up on paperwork and some less important to-do items, but there’s only so much time they can spend painting the walls of the showroom or having the van cleaned. Eventually, they need a plan to address the slowdown.

If a downturn becomes significant, many business owners are faced with some tough questions. Will business pick up next week, or will it be another month or so before things turn around? Do they lay off half of the staff or eliminate some employee benefits to cover payroll for another month or two? What can they do to find more business? How do they cut production costs without sacrificing quality?

First off, take a deep breath… hold it… now exhale… slowly. Give yourself permission to relax just a little bit.

Take some time to analyze exactly where your business is now. Then think back to when you were just getting started in business. Ask yourself these questions:

• What did you do to make the business grow? • What was the foundation you put in place to make it work? • Who did you surround yourself with for support? • Who was an integral part of your team? Are they still part of your team? If not, can you bring them back on board? Should you bring them back? • What philosophies, thought processes, values and techniques did you have in the beginning that you’ve let go by the wayside?

Do you need to revisit or revive any of those or do you now have better ones in place?

Now, write down exactly what it will take to get your business where you want it to be. • How many new clients do you need? How many closed sales?

How many referrals? • How much revenue do you need? How much profit? • How soon do you need it? Don’t just say “as soon as possible.”

Write down a deadline.

Honestly assess whether or not you can do what is necessary to get your business to the place you want or need it to be by the deadline you’ve set. If you can, then do it. Start right now and attack the game plan you’ve just laid out.

If you can’t, then you’ve got to do some further analysis. Can you realistically move out your deadline to accomplish your goals and still operate your business at full or (at least) current capacity? Can you expand into other markets or related industries to create new opportunities for revenue? Can you expand into other cities and connect with potential clients there?

It may be a bit of a cliché, but there is a lot of truth in the statement “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Just because things look bad right now does not mean that there is not a solution. If you really think about what needs to be done, without letting the stress and anxiety of the situation take control, you can find the answer you are looking for. You may even find more than one solution to your problem. V

WCAA chapter meetings. James A. Holloway began his career as a window treatment installer in 2001. In 2009, he started his own business, South East Installation Solutions, an “installation only” company based in Greenville, SC. His professional writing career began in 2013 with the launch of “TraVerse: A Window Coverings Blog.” From 2014 to 2015 he was the Installation Instructor for the Custom Home Furnishings Academy in Roswell, GA. He has been a speaker at various events including

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