Developing resilience in the face of crisis

It’s now been just over a year since we launched Better Not Younger.

Becoming a Fiftypreneur after spending my entire career in corporate was a huge step into the unknown. As I look back at this past year, dealing with major uncertainty (especially now) has probably been one of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome.

As an entrepreneur, I know that uncertainty can feel overwhelming at times so I thought I’d share some of the tips I’ve picked up that have helped me (and the team) bounce back when the going got tough.

• Focus on what you can control. Over the past few days, we’ve definitely sensed a slowdown in buying because our consumers have had bigger issues on their minds than what shampoo to buy. While I can’t make them buy products, I can support our community by giving back through our donation drive for Meals on Wheels and by being an empathetic resource to our consumers as they navigate this new reality.

• Know you are not alone. Say that again. You are NOT alone. The majority of businesses at the moment are going through the same situation, so don't be afraid to reach out and help one another. I’ve had several calls with other beauty brands to talk about what we’re doing to support our customers and how to make sure we’re being respectful and sensitive to the current situation in all our actions and communications.

• Be relevant and value-add for your customer. I don’t think consumers are as receptive to traditional sell messages during a time of crisis so we’ve really tried to focus communications around our product quality, value, money back guarantee and reassurance that we’re made in the USA to assuage any concerns they might have. We also are trying to put out content that’s optimistic and uplifting with a dash of humor to provide a bit of relief and escape from the anxiety and fear that happens every time they turn on the news.

• Keep your team engaged, motivated, appreciated, challenged, and most importantly united. I think work can be an amazing distraction when the world around you is in transition and this is the time when we need our team to be even more inspired and creative. Maintaining a sense of normalcy and progress helps offset some of the anxiety many of us are feeling, and our daily video meetings are a good forum for checking in on each other on a personal level.

• Remember sooner or later, things will be back to normal. There will still be uncertainty but there will also be possibility. And toilet paper. Lots more toilet paper.