Uncertain and Trying

Earlier today, a journalist emailed me for a comment on entrepreneurship during “uncertain and trying times”. Bwahahahahhahahahahahahahhaha.

Oh goodness. Do we think he means the stressful and trying times of this week because there is an Avian flu outbreak AND it is Easter week, meaning the egg demand is high and the supply is low…so 15 cases of eggs has a market price of $53?

Or perhaps he is just referencing general inflation, global instability, rising gas prices, and supply chain shortages?

Or the COVID pandemic and the looming surge of new cases?

Or wait - maybe he is referencing the labor shortage?

Or maybe he is just referring to the average whatever of any given year, right? Because here’s the truth: entrepreneurship is a consistent uncertain and trying times. That’s just the resting state of small business. Without question, the rewards of entrepreneurship are countless…but the price for those rewards is general uncertainty about EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE. Since the dawn of time. (And that’s trying, for sure.)

On Sunday, PJP will turn eight. EIGHT. How can that be? And look, I’ve never felt certain about anything in the last eight years when it comes to entrepreneurship…but for our dedication to PJP. The rest is just a toss up as time keeps moving forward. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 100 times: entrepreneurship is messy. And almost always two steps forward, but one step back.

I think the journalist is going to be saddened to read such an overzealous response to a simple question. Ahem.

The second part of the question was advice for handling the uncertainty and I have no idea what others interviewed will say - probably the innocuous, like join a mastermind group or visit your local SBA office for advice. If only it were that easy, right? No small business would ever struggle if the solutions were so obvious. Rather, my advice is to just accept the uncertainty as part and parcel of the experience. Nothing ever stays the same and that’s both the best and worst part of small business.

I don’t know though - Avian flu anxiety may actually be worse.