Ready for the long run?

For many, it’s never been harder to imagine what the future might look like. Economic uncertainty and personal restrictions have left our calendars (and our minds) a little frazzled, to say the least. There have been jobs impacted globally, and all kinds of other short straws you don’t need me to remind you about. Essentially, it’s affected us all in one way or another, and has made it difficult to prepare for what’s ahead.

I’ve been interviewing the wonderful and impressive consultants who have been volunteering their time with the 2Y3X programme, helping companies who really need urgent support. I’ve learnt so much from each of them, but one piece of advice that keeps coming up is to plan ahead.

Whether it’s just you and your business at the moment, or you’ve got a team who are willing to knuckle down and bring the business back to life, a strong strategy is vital. But, as we’ve established, it’s hard to visualise where we can realistically be in the far future.

As co-founder of the 2Y3X programme Felix Velarde says, “Any plan is better than no plan, as long as you actually get on with it and do it.”

From any plan, to a plan in action

Alongside the full two-year programme, 2Y3X has now launched a three-month version, for urgent planning and team building. Consultants have been using this QuickMap process with pro bono clients and it’s enabled many companies of all types and sizes to recover, and to thrive. Businesses are realising that what they used to offer might not be what people need right now, and this process helps them to make the necessary actions and changes to redefine what they actually are.

Once the three months are complete, participants will automatically be qualified to join the full programme, if they want to continue to scale their company for the next two years. More details on this can be found here.

Recover and build back better

For social impact businesses who are recovering from the damaging setbacks of the current crisis, we’ve organised a virtual webinar, and gathered inspirational speakers to help them to get back on track to success.

Tickets are entirely donation-based, and we invite you to give what you can to the UNHCR Urgent Appeal for Refugees when registering for your ticket. More details and registration can be found here. We hope to see you there!

For the people and the planet

Mary Portas spoke about the Kindness Economy earlier this year, explaining how values are a powerful source of currency. She shared some interesting points about the connection between human kindness and commerce, and how we align ourselves with businesses on a personal level.

The economy is built on what we care about, and we make conscious investments into businesses and brands that share our values. Empathy and understanding are crucial then, when building relationships between buyers and sellers. Co-founder of 2Y3X, Frank Kelcz will be exploring this in depth in our upcoming webinar, focusing on how to nurture existing client relationships and to better understand how to approach new leads during this time.

In terms of putting people and planet first, and identifying what ‘good’ and ‘sustainable’ might actually look like for your organisation, I really recommend reading David Cushman’s guide to building experience-centred and people-centered businesses.

Recovered and raring to go

If the path towards ‘normal’ business is unrecognisable and treacherous, the only way forward is to pave your way with clear, actionable tasks. Those who are agile, curious and adaptable will not only get through this time, but will flourish. They’ll find the way. Short term planning puts everyone in a better position to grow once we’re back on more stable ground.

The long run will require diligence and discipline, but taking action is always more productive than just being reactive. Being ready for today and for the month ahead will get you there. And then ‘there’ becomes what you make of it, of the opportunities you find, and the ones you create. There’s a future we’ll all need to rescue from this rubble. Are you ready?