Are you questioning the direction of your business and what you’re offering now? In this candid interview, we explore one solopreneur woman’s business reinvention story and the lessons for pivoting midstream without starting over.
A midstream business pivot can be daunting, like switching boats while paddling on the river. It can kick up big feelings about rocking the boat and what’s next, and how to make it work, and what if it doesn’t work?
I want to share a real life business reinvention story with you that I hope will be calming and offer some hope.
I talked with Sara Barry (a fellow introvert), who is working through her second midstream business shift now. Our video discussion is below, along with some notes we wrote up together for you.
We cover:
- Knowing it’s time to change.
- Dealing with the feelings and worries that change kicks up.
- How to find time and energy to make a change.
- Ways to explore and choose what’s next
- Help from a coach or support group?
A real life business pivot story
Sara Barry and I spoke candidly about the stressful and joyful parts of this year’s business reinvention process.
Sara has been a self-employed copywriter and content advisor for many years, and is now following signs to make her business more aligned with the shifting market (hello AI), her growing interests, and her new availability.
Our discussion uncovered some great insights about how other solopreneurs can face their own business reinvention times, in a calm thoughtful way that introverts appreciate.
Video Chapters
0:00 – Sara’s business up until now, including a previous pivot.
1:49 – Why a change now?
2:57 – How it feels to be in the midst of change and how Sara’s working with it.
“Being in that space of not knowing…, it can feel really stuck…. And so it’s easy to forget that there are things that I’m excited about.” ~ Sara
5:53 – What’s helping you move forward?
10:05 – Advice for others needing a business realignment
Key takeaways from Sara’s story:
- You can’t think your way to clarity.
Doing something to test the waters anew is what helps you find clarity and move forward. Even what might seem like a misstep helps you figure things out. - Trust yourself to make the change.
You’ve faced change before. What’s challenging now can bring you to something better — even if you don’t know what right now. - You have a lot to offer, and you likely need reminders about that from others.
This is a good time to let in positive reflections from people around you who can see your strengths.
How do you know it’s time to pivot?
A lot of times, you know inside that it’s time to pivot your business midstream… even if you don’t want to admit it right away or you’re not sure what’s next.
One of the key things you might notice is that it’s not working anymore the way it is. That could mean that something has changed in your industry or with the clients you work with. It could also mean that something has changed in your life. Often it’s multiple things at once, which is part of why it can feel like such a puzzle.
A need for change doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. It just means things have changed and your work needs to change too. Change is a part of life — and business. You’ve been adjusting to change your whole life, so you know this, but this time might be feeling like a bigger wave than normal.
Even if you don’t know what’s next, knowing that something needs to change is important information.
Facing the uncomfortable feelings of pivoting
You know that old saying, “When one door closes, another door opens.” It’s missing the last line: “But it’s hell in the hallway.” I try to remember that hallway part because it makes me laugh and helps me feel less alone.
Change can be uncomfortable for a lot of us. Change around our business might bring up worries about:
- Rocking the boat of the income you need.
- Shame if things aren’t going well.
- Uncertainty about what’s next.
- Discomfort in the unknown of the in-between time.
- Worry that things won’t work out.
- Finding time and energy to decide and make adjustments.
Phew, it’s like a tangled knot, and it can feel messy.
It’s easy to get stuck in that discomfort and worry, which is common if you are trying to figure it out on your own.
Discomfort at first, yes. Impossible, no. There’s usually joy and hope in there too if you look for it. The entrepreneur in you might even like having a puzzle to solve if the money pressure wasn’t in the foreground.
Finding time and energy for a midstream pivot
Figuring out what’s next can feel like it takes more energy and time than you have. Here are some ways to make it easier:
- Find a coworking partner or group.
Regular coworking time puts structure around what can feel like a very open-ended process. Having someone else there with you and identifying the most important thing to do can help you do it! Check out my group especially for introverts and sensitive souls: The HeartFlow Collective. - Make a list of specific things you can do to explore new options.
“Figure out what’s next” isn’t that helpful. List more specific action steps to gain traction, such as: Identify my superpowers, make a list of what I most love about my work now, set up coffee or a walk with someone whose work intrigues, check out coaches who can guide the way. - Identify actions that feel like downstream flow for you.
Sara mentioned that connection is a core value (and I think it’s also a core strength of hers), so meeting people in person and reconnecting with old contacts brought some ease and energy to her exploration.
5 Ways to Explore What’s Next
You can’t think your way to clarity. You need to do something. The good news is that small actions can help you figure things out and gain confidence and momentum.
- Listen to past or current clients (or people you’d like to work with) about current needs.
See if there are new ways you could serve them. Ask them for feedback on your ideas. Consider a 50-50 time swap: Half to get their perspective and half to provide support for them. - Get more clarity about your strengths, values, and what you want.
My Career Clarity Course walks you through steps that help you feel more clear and confident about your direction. Plus there are live call opportunities for camaraderie. - Try a limited free offer to test new ideas.
Sara offered 5 free clarity calls to test out Content Clarity Calls, a new offer. It allowed her to see if she liked doing them and to see how they worked for clients. She got some new paid clients, great testimonials, and new language to help people understand the offer. - Schedule time each week to work on your business.
Write down what you will do with the time. It could be mapping out an idea, writing notes to potential clients, posting on LinkedIn, going to a business support group, writing a description of your new offer, learning new tech… any step that moves you forward. And remember, even something that doesn’t work gives you information. - Work with a career/ business coach.
It’s easy to feel stuck when you are alone in your head. Getting a new perspective and talking through those sticking points can help. A coach can help you see more possibilities — and support you in the small steps to actually get there.
A midstream pivot can be daunting, but not impossible. Taking small steps and letting in support can help you get back to calmer waters.
Help from a Coach or Support Group?
As a career and business coach myself, I see from the inside view how much it helps people find clarity, confidence, and momentum, especially during times when it seems so foggy and discouraging. It has certainly been a critical part for me in staying on a sustainable path through changes.
Here’s a hint to help you think about your options for choosing a coach:
- A career coach typically helps you choose a direction that will align with your strengths, interests, and needs.
- A business coach typically helps with moving forward and making adjustments to a chosen business.
- A “career and business coach” (like myself) can help with both. I love being able to support through both parts of the puzzle.
What about one-to-one coaching versus group coaching?
Most business coaching groups are geared for those already knowing what their business direction is, so they are mainly focused on questions of refining niche and marketing. A pivot time can be a little different, and need a wider lens.
I find there’s gold in combining one-to-one and group coaching. The group program I lead, the SOULpreneurs Circle for Introverts and HSPs, includes both group and private meeting time, because there’s inevitably stuff that needs more close-up attention, like pivot questions.
As a career and business coach, my groups have a wide enough lens to include questions of pivoting and moving forward.
