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Hello Reader,

The floor seems to be giving way beneath us, doesn't it?

This week alone, I've spoken with nearly 5 business leaders who've had to make the gut-wrenching decision to let valued team members go. We're waking up daily to bad news that is sending ripples of uncertainty through countless industries dependent on government contracts and funding.

Add to this the relentless march of artificial intelligence transforming entire job categories overnight and inflation eroding profit margins, and we're facing what feels like a perfect storm of business uncertainty.

When there seems to be no bottom, how do we find our footing?

I know this question intimately. In 2017-2018, my business was in free fall. Each morning I'd wake with that leaden feeling in my stomach: "Is this the day it all collapses?" I'd check my sales dashboard before my feet hit the floor, hoping for a miracle but preparing for another disappointment.

What I couldn't see then -- but understand deeply now — is that survival in uncertain times isn't about trying harder with the same approaches. It's about developing a fundamentally different capacity to navigate volatility and take risks to do things differently.

In this week's deep dive, I'm sharing the framework that not only saved my entrepreneurial journey but transformed how I operate during uncertainty -- especially and including right now. The article is called Finding Solid Ground: How Leaders Build Unshakeable Resilience When There's No Bottom in Sight.

​READ THE FULL ARTICLE →​

Inside, you'll discover:

• Why the conventional "wait it out" approach to economic uncertainty actively harms your business (and what to do instead)
• My STRONG framework for building decision-making clarity when everyone else is paralyzed by overwhelm
• Why strategic slowing down—not speeding up—might be your most powerful move right now

This isn't about toxic positive thinking or ignoring reality. It's about developing the capacity to make clear-headed decisions when everyone around you is in reaction mode.

As one business leader told me this week: "I'm just focused on taking care of myself and keeping my head down so that I can stay strong through this latest hard time."

I hope this month's deep dive gives you practical tools for finding solid ground, even when there seems to be no bottom.

Breathing deeply with you in the storm,

XO

Shawn

P.S. I'm hosting a free 60-minute Zoom workshop next Thursday at 12pm ET: "The 3 Critical Decisions Leaders Must Get Right During Economic Uncertainty." No pitches, just practical guidance for navigating our current reality. Save your spot here →​

SLOW BUSINESS TIP:

moving through uncertainty with with daily self-compassion

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When you face uncertainty — whether from market shifts, internal transitions, or personal crossroads — your first instinct might be to rush toward solutions. Yet this is precisely when a strategic slow down can become your biggest advantage.

Uncertainty isn't a problem to be eliminated; it's a natural phase in every business journey. We just happen to be living during a period of time when it's a wee bit more uncertain than usual.

Whether you are dealing with uncertainty or not, it's important to meet this phase with self-compassion rather than harsh judgment.

Try this: When facing an unclear path forward, place one hand on your heart and ask, "What would be most supportive right now?" This simple practice interrupts the stress response and activates your parasympathetic nervous system—the state where your wisest decisions emerge.

Remember that even longtime business leaders navigate periods of not-knowing. Your worth isn't measured by how quickly you find answers, but by how compassionately you move through the questions.

This week, notice where you're rushing through uncertainty. Where might a deliberate pause and moment of self-kindness lead to more aligned choices?

🦥 Do you or does your team need a Strategic Slowdown to lead more courageously right now? I'm offering FREE "Strategic Slowdown Chats" for small mission-led business leaders curious about developing high level strategy that drives visibility, growth and revenue. Book a Strategic Slowdown Chat now!​

“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. To live fully is to be always in no-man’s-land, to experience each moment as completely new and fresh. To live is to be willing to die over and over again.”

— Pema Chödrön

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If you found value in this email, would you do me a favor and forward it to another business leader who might need these tools? They can subscribe to The Power of SLOW here.