Get to Why

This pattern will help the business owner in the crisis, to assess whether to continue in the existing business or move to a different model. Returning to a resilient and sustainable future, the business owner’s personal needs and wishes need to be reassessed to determine if they are aligned with existing or new business models.Add paragraph text here.

Freelance consultants and coaches have been impacted by the crisis. Financial pressure on their clients have led to short-term cancellation of contracts for projects, workshops and trainings.

The opportunity of the crisis is to reassess the “why” the freelance consultant or coach is offering the service.

If it is no longer fulfilling but was a money-earner, now is the time to consider providing a service that is meaningful.

Developing the “why” will be a central theme for acquiring new business. It will be an integral part of the personal branding.

When creating new services, the freelance consultant or coach can use the “why” to guide themselves to focus on those offerings that are most aligned with their values.

For example: Should I as coach create an online coaching course in order to generate revenue although I do not believe that this creates the transformation that I seek in my clients?

Pitfall: The “why” exercise should be done thoroughly otherwise it will become an alibi for continuing in the old pattern of business.

Winston Churchill is credited with first saying, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.”

A crisis causes hardship but is also opportunity for a change.

Change not only to altered market conditions but also the business owner’s personal needs and wishes which are no longer aligned with their product or service which they sell.

For example: a freelance software developer has found that due to the crisis, projects have dried up. The crisis forces her to reassess her situation, and after reflection, comes to realize that she would prefer to follow interests outside the industry she is working in.

New business opportunities should be aligned with the beliefs and values of the business owner. Only then can the business owner remain resilient and generate a sustainable presence in the market.

Business owners can use the crisis as an opportunity to reflect on “why” they are in a specific business.

What is it in their personal story which makes them get out of bed in the morning?

Simon Sinek, in his TED talk and books provides a Why-How-What model in which “why” is the primary question. The “why” provides guidance when reassessing the current business as well as assessing new business opportunities.

Example: A coach does what she does because she wants to help people become happier in their workplace. Before the crisis, she had risen to be manager in a human resources department responsible for hiring external coach to do the work she wanted to do.

By reflecting this, she decided herself to become a freelance coach so that she can help people directly.

Here are some more examples.

https://1drv.ms/b/s!Alffdz1hy-uPjn76jUCN45yDe2VI?e=sr6PGw

This pattern guides us when searching for new activities that can be offered to replace the services or products that are no longer required by the market or no longer aligned with the beliefs and values of the business owner.

By aligning with the “why” the freelance coach or consultant will be able to offer their services more clearly in their personal branding. They have laid the foundations to become more resilient and sustainable in the future.

This pattern arose while during a series of interviews with freelance consultants and coaches. We chose this industry because several members of the team providing the submission are freelance consultants and coaches.