Will You Break?

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Hey, Will Here!

This week, we are going deep into what it takes to stay in the game and move the needle in your business.

Let me share a true story (name was changed) that might get your attention!

Imagine meeting with a group of brilliant minds, all successful business owners, gathered around the table.

Among them is Sarah, a founder who had created an unbelievable business from nothing, and she shares surprising news that leaves everyone speechless.

"I'm done. I'm walking away from all of it."

Not because her business was tanking. Not because the market dried up. Her company was crushing it.

But she was crumbling under the weight of her success.

"The wake up in the middle of the night panic attacks... the constant fires... the endless responsibility...it can’t take it anymore."

Her voice was steady, but her eyes told a different story. "I have lost control"!

But here's what floored me – I watched the others around the table nodding as she spoke. Not just polite nods. The deep, knowing nods that say, "That could be me, or admitting that is me."

Look, I'll shoot straight with you...

What do you see about business success on social media? It's like those before-and-after weight loss photos – you never see the hard parts and the struggle in between.

People don't talk about the fact that 72% of entrepreneurs face mental health issues.

They also don't mention how burnout secretly affects even the most successful people.

But after working with business owners (and burning myself out), I've noticed something fascinating...

The entrepreneurs who make it don't always have the best ideas or the biggest funding.

They're the ones who've cracked a specific code: turning what crushes others into minor speed bumps.

Today, I'm sharing the framework that's helped my clients stay off the burnout track.

Whether you're just starting or running a successful operation, this might be the most important thing you read this month.

🔵 The Real Problem Isn't What You Think

Have you ever had one of those 3 AM moments waking up in a cold sweat?

You know the ones I'm talking about... You're lying there, staring at the ceiling, your phone clutched because that "we need to talk" email landed from your biggest client.

Your mind's doing that fun thing where it plays out every possible disaster scenario. (Mine usually includes living in a cardboard box with no coffee in the morning. 😅)

Sound familiar?

Trust me, I've been there more times than I can count.

Here's the thing...a few years ago, I discovered something that completely changed my game. And no, it's not another productivity app or morning routine.

Ready for it?

95% of what we lose sleep over is the expensive inconvenience of wearing a crisis hazmat suit.

Let me share a quick story that might make you laugh (now, not then)...

Last month, my entire payment system went down, and it decided to take an unscheduled vacation. We're talking about having no cash to pay the bills.

Fun times, right?

Old me would've been stress-eating a bag of Cheetos while firing off panic-fueled messages to our payment provider (let's be honest, probably with too many exclamation points!!!).

Instead, I smiled and told myself, well, sh*t happens, get on with it.

No, I hadn't lost it. I just knew something most business owners learn the hard way: Almost every business "catastrophe" fits into two simple buckets:

🪣 Bucket #1: "Throw Money At It"

• Is the website having a meltdown? Fixed.

• Shipping disaster? Handled.

• Tech gremlins? Bye-bye.

🪣 Bucket #2: "Needs Brain Power, Not Panic Power"

• The market is doing weird things

• Competition being sneaky

• Team drama (ugh, the worst)

Everything else?

That's just your entrepreneur brain doing its best Netflix drama impression.

Here's something to help you get back in the game. I developed a super simple "don't panic" checklist (feel free to steal it – I did! ):

1. The One-Minute Chill: Timer on. Deep breaths. No checking email refresh. Just sit, breathe, and exist.

2. The Reality Check: Ask yourself, "Will this matter when Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 comes out?" (Okay, maybe think three months ahead instead)

3. The Billionaire Test: Would Elon tweet about this problem? No? Then maybe it's not that bad.

4. The "How Bad Is It Really" Scale:

   1️⃣ = Mildly annoying (like running out of coffee)

   2️⃣ = Frustrating but fixable (angry customer energy)

   3️⃣ = Needs attention (team drama alert)

   4️⃣ = This is serious (big client breakup vibes)

   5️⃣ = True emergency (legal/financial yikes)

But here's my secret weapon, and it’s fun – it's like having a really wise friend who's always awake and never judges your crisis moments:

Make This Work For You! Create your own "Crisis Control Kit":

• Save this prompt on your phone

• Stick your personal panic scale on your desk

• Start a "Crisis Cash Stash" (10% of whatever you make each month)

• Write some "everything is fine" email templates (trust me on this one)

💡Pro Tip - The best entrepreneurs aren't the ones who never freak out – they're just better at turning their "oh no" into their "okay, let's do this."

Next time everything feels on fire, ask yourself: "Is this a real crisis, or am I just having a moment?"

🔵 Building Resilience

Running a business is not as easy as social media influencers make it seem. We need to work hard and stay focused on what's important.

As solo entrepreneurs, we face a unique challenge: managing enterprise-level responsibilities without enterprise-level resources.

After working with many clients and independent business owners, I've learned over the years that it is not about having more resources but being smarter with what you have.

Consider this: A single client cancellation might have derailed your entire week when you started. Now? It's barely a blip on your radar.

That's not because client relationships matter less; you've developed more sophisticated response systems.

Remember when my payment processor had an outage? Instead of panicking, I just went to work:

• Activated my backup payment solution

• Sent pre-prepared communication to customers

• Continued operations with minimal disruption

Total revenue lost? Zero. Stress level? Manageable. Time spent problem-solving? Less than 30 minutes.

Here's an AI Power Prompt that will act as your own Strategic Advisor to help you develop robust contingency plans for your business:

The key is building SOP systems that scale with your business while remaining manageable for a solo operator.

For instance, Instead of complex disaster recovery plans, create simple but effective backup protocols:

• Cloud-based redundancy for critical data (aka backup your hard drive)

• Alternative service providers on standby

• Pre-approved emergency resources on speed dial

The goal isn't to eliminate or create more problems – it's to transform them from potential crises into manageable solutions.

💡 Pro Tip - Start with your most frequent challenge and build one solid backup system. It's incredible how much confidence comes from knowing you're prepared.

Remember: The most successful solo entrepreneurs aren't the ones who avoid problems – they're the ones who've mastered the art of solving them efficiently.

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🔵 Turn Challenges into Advantages

I was on Zoom with a client a few months ago, and he had just lost his biggest customer – a potential business-ending situation for many.

Yet he was remarkably calm and composed (I might have been looking for a bag of Cheetos).

This guy usually looked for the sky to fall and saved his cardboard boxes in case things fell off the cliff. But not today…..

He sat for a moment. "Want to know the difference between a crisis and an inconvenience?" he asked. "Three backup plans and about $50,000 in the bank for rainy days."

That conversation fundamentally changed how I viewed my business challenges.

Time to shift your thinking…….

Consider this scenario: Your software crashes during a major customer project.

Old You 1.0: Immediate panic, frantic calls, apology emails, and a sleepless night.

New You 2.0: Activate a pre-configured backup system, implement standard communication protocol, and continue operations with minimal disruption.

The difference isn't resources – it's preparation and perspective.

Here's a cool AI power prompt you can use to help tackle those challenges and turn them into opportunities:

Here’s another simple way to deal with challenging problems in your business. Try this three-step framework for any business challenge rattling around in your brain:

1. Immediate Response - Instead of reactive problem-solving, implement pre-designed solutions and SOP systems.

2. Strategic Enhancement - Each challenge presents an opportunity to strengthen your business.

3. Market Differentiation - Turn your solutions into competitive advantages.

Now, take a moment to think about your latest business problem. Look closely at the details and what made it complicated. Then, think about the different things that caused this problem and ask yourself these questions:

• What systems could have prevented this?

• How could this challenge become a market advantage?

• What would make this issue irrelevant in the future?

So, what could you have done differently? 

💡 Pro Tip - The most valuable business asset isn't your product or service – it's your ability to turn market challenges into opportunities.

Remember: In today's business world, resilience means getting through tough times and using them to grow personally and professionally.

🔵 Making Yourself Bulletproof…

You don't need complicated systems or fancy programs. All you need is surprisingly simple tools and frameworks:

• Create an essential backup for important stuff (like having a spare house key)

• Build ready-to-go responses Google sheet for common issues (because, yes, your website will crash)

• Craft a simple "when things break" checklist (think recipe card, not a how-to manual)

That's it!!

Look, I have been where you are, and we all have that one business worry that loves to pop up without warning.

Maybe it's:

• Tech failing during important calls

• Payment systems acting up

• Client projects going sideways

• Team communication breaking down

• Or all hell breaks loose at once

Here's the thing: The goal isn't to prevent every problem. It's to make problems so manageable they become almost boring.

Think of it like having a spare tire in your car. You don't stress about flat tires because you know exactly what to do if it happens (make sure there is a spare tire).

Let's turn it into something so routine it barely registers as a problem anymore.

Building resilience isn't about avoiding problems – it's about handling them so smoothly they become another part of your day.

That's rare. That's special. That's what sets you apart.

Remember: While everyone else is playing checkers, you're playing a masterful chess game. And that's the difference maker.

This Week's Hot Question: "What will you change to play a bigger game that will launch you to the next level? If you have no ideas, ask your trusty AI assistant!

🔥 Want More Magic: Join Our StartSmart Exchange Community Here!

Until then, Think Smarter, Play Bigger, and Build faster.

To your success,

-Coach Will

Also, let me know if you have any comments or need help. I read everything; you never know what doors might open from a simple conversation.