Dealing With the Tough Stuff

6 Facing forces beyond your control

Some of the most stressful times in business happen when our companies are at the mercy of much larger forces, such as cultural, economic, or cultural shifts we can’t control. These shifts can include soaring interest rates, a diet trend, a fashion trend, a natural disaster, a frozen credit environment, a precipitous drop in consumer spending, or any change that makes it hard to find predictability. Sometimes customers and suppliers make big decisions or big mistakes that impact us, and even though we have done everything right and have remained true to our values, our company still suffers. Finding our way through this situation can be challenging and stressful.

In this chapter, entrepreneurs tell their stories ...