There is a lot of focus on what a “dumpster fire” 2020 has been. Yes, there has been a pandemic, a recession caused by a lockdown and people have died. It is tragic. But there is also some good that has come from the shifts in business caused by Covid.
As an example, last week I spoke with a friend of mine who I met several years ago when he was working for a client of ours. We have kept in touch over the years as his career progressed. He was fortunate to be able to move back to his hometown in Kentucky, prior to the pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, his business virtually stopped for a few months. Rather than wallow in the “dumpster fire” talk, he got busy doing something to help his hometown and the surrounding area. He created a proposal and championed it with the city and county government. He saw a need. The city is less than 20,000 people and it was not growing. It was a coal mining town that suffered when the mines closed.
James felt that the city needed a way to lead a healthier lifestyle. He felt they could attract people to their area through building a mountain biking trail that allowed visitors and citizens to see the beauty of the area. He worked to certify himself as a mountain bike coach, become an expert in mountain biking, and he built a detailed plan to present to the local government for funding a trail. Included in the plan is a mobile bike repair shop, rental bikes, and support for those coming into the city to ride the trails. It has been funded and he continues to support the project as a project manager. Congratulations James Seargent.
With the restrictions put on restaurants in our area, it would be an exceedingly difficult time to open a new venue. With small children in our family now, going to a restaurant to enjoy the experience is also difficult. For my daughter’s birthday, she found a chef who came to their house and prepared the meal. It was so much fun that she suggested we do the same for my daughter in laws birthday. The food was amazing, and so was the entire experience.
We recently had Chef Nick prepare a meal to celebrate our friend’s birthday. We wanted to have an experience that they wouldn’t forget. After dinner we enjoyed a cocktail on the patio and learned more about Chef Nick. He shared his training and his journey to get to this point. Covid helped his business explode. He is booked through January already. He could have opened a restaurant but chose to open Nomadic Dining so that he could continue to learn. Had he opened a restaurant, as he could have done, he may not have had the success he is having now.
In both examples they chose to take a different path. They chose to keep learning and to help others, based on what they saw as a need. Is there a different path that you have taken? Have you continued to learn and to support others? Has your business adapted, based on the challenges presented?