In the past couple of decades, “new normal” has been one of the most grossly overused terms in business. Now, it’s the only way to consider a world of pandemic infection, with all its implications for life, health, human connection, commerce and economics. It seems likely that the path into our new normal will have at least two lanes: one quite high tech, and the other deeply personal.
The first lane focuses on the technology strategies of small businesses at the forward edge of this disruption. In this lane, at least one outcome is not in dispute: What had been a gradual shift to the cloud became a race. What was once an implicit technology need became an explicit need, a technology mandate and a business imperative. We’ll put to bed any lingering discussion about financial management by desktop spreadsheet versus the cloud as the basis of continuous access to data and applications, resiliency, availability, security, convenience and even sustainability. That’s especially true now, in a financial environment that shapes up to be less predictable and more cyclical as the virus rises and recedes and economic conditions ride those waves.
Then, in that second lane, we’re being reminded that in any serious process of change, the really hard issues aren’t about the technology. The hard stuff is a lot more human and personal. Here, the hard part is going to involve updating that time-honored self-image grounded in hardy self-reliance and the image of the small-business owner as solo warrior prevailing against all odds. It’s a noble and admirable strand running through the DNA of virtually every small-business owner I know. I had more than a little bit of that in me when I ran my own company some years back. I understand where it comes from, and I soaked up the marketing messages reinforcing the virtue of rugged individualism: “Buy this product; use this software, and become a hero.”
In short, and with apologies to Nike, the message and mindset was, “Just do it — yourself.” It was a self-limiting approach to work then, and it’s especially flawed now given the degree of difficulty in the world we’re entering. It’s time to drop the rugged individualist routine and move to a “do it together” approach that taps into the knowledge of allies, partners and trusted advisors. On a financial front, this could mean using the services of an accountant or bookkeeper who is distinctly qualified to provide this advisory role.
We’re at an important moment for the world, with issues of public safety foremost, followed by the new economics and business reordering for a COVID-19 world. I’d only observe that when the initial crisis has passed and we begin to settle into whatever becomes normal, won’t we always wish we had been bolder and more ambitious? As we make our decisions and adjustments, let’s move forward, together rather than alone, and go with confidence.
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Steve Niehaus, MBA, CBI
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239.565.3171
