How to survive? Be resilient!

I was faced with a life-changing challenge in 2007. Being retrenched at work, I had to decide if I’m going to follow my heart or choose the safer option by applying for work at one of the insurance companies, which will mean having to travel between Pretoria and Johannesburg daily.

companies, which will mean having to travel between Pretoria and Johannesburg daily.

I decided to follow my heart and (hopefully) make my dream come true by starting Excel Recovery Services, a niche third party recovery company, operating in the short term insurance and fleet owner space.  It surely was “the road less travelled”. 

It was daunting.  Being a single mother, the breadwinner with one child studying and the other in high school, I was risking everything I’ve worked for so far in life.  Close to 14 years on, ERS has been established as one of the leading recovery agencies in the industry and we’ve established a team of experts, ensuring that our client’s get above average results in the shortest time possible. 

Has it always been smooth sailing?  For sure not!  As many business owners will tell you, working for “yourself” is the worst boss ever.  Having to forever improvise, finding better and more effective ways to obtain brilliant results for your clients, are exhilarating, but also exhausting.

I have done this by applying a couple of simple principles over the years:

• Always keep the result you want to obtain insight before you start with a project. If you have a clear result in mind, you might take a different route to reach your end goal.
• Surround yourself with the best team you can find. A dedicated and principled management team and staff who share your and the company’s values.  Ensure to incorporate your values in what and how you do everything, every day.
• Always be aware of the latest developments within the industry.
• Sometimes you first have to take a breather before making decisions.
• Avoid being rigid in your approach to reach an outcome. There is usually more than one solution to a challenge.
• Protect your name and reputation above all. It’s the only thing you take with you to the end.

How to deal with fear and uncertainty?

I would love to meet a business owner who has never been fearful and/or uncertain – especially during the situation(s) we are dealing with now.

I prefer to deal with it as follows:

• I try not to focus on the current situation but rather on where we want and plan to be in 6 months/a year/5 years from now. Sometimes the current situation is simply just too daunting!
• Remove “fear” from the situation and then decide how to deal with the issue on hand. Fear can be paralysing and not a good catalysator for good decisions!
• Ensure that your business (and life) is structured in such a way that everything can carry on as seamless as possible without you in the picture. This will take some serious planning and hard work, but eliminate a lot of stress for both you as a business owner as well as your staff who feels safe knowing that they will not be without a job should something happen to you.

And last but not least:  How do YOU stay resilient and motivated?

I believe you should have 3 “hobbies” in life:

• The first one with which you make money
• Second one doing something to keep you healthy and fit
• Third one doing something which will feed your soul.

Create a vision board for yourself to constantly remind you where your energy and focus should be. 

Be very aware and selective with the 5 closest people you surround yourself with.  These are the people who will have the biggest influence on you.  Ensure that they radiate the energy you want to create more of in your life.

I would like to leave a legacy where I lifted people, as I rose and one of “pay it forward”.  This is my “Why?”  I do what I do every day!

I want to choose my “hard”.  All decisions in life have consequences.  I must ensure that I’m prepared to do what I need to do, to deal with the “hard” which comes with those decisions.

And always remember:  Whenever you get up in the morning and the day seems daunting:  There is somebody out there who would have loved to have this challenge you have today.

Embrace each challenge!