There’s nothing quite like a health scare to make you reevaluate everything. You think you’re in control of your life and your business, and then, boom—something happens that forces you to hit pause and reassess. In June of 2023, I went through a health scare that changed everything for me. This isn’t just about getting sick; it’s about realizing how fragile things can be, and how quickly everything you thought you knew can suddenly be up for grabs.
And honestly? That experience taught me some hard, yet incredibly valuable lessons about business pivots. You see, business pivots aren’t just for when the economy shifts or a new competitor pops up—they’re for the moments when life throws you a curveball and everything you thought you knew is suddenly up for grabs.
Let me take you through how a personal health crisis changed my perspective on business pivots—and why these lessons can help you too, even if you’re not dealing with a major life event.
The Wake-Up Call
In June of 2023, I was forced to slow down after a sudden health scare. As an entrepreneur, I’ve always been go-go-go. I’ve been hustling, scaling my business, and doing all the things we’re told we have to do to be successful. But when I hit that wall, I realized how little I had been paying attention to my own well-being and the sustainability of my business.
Here’s the truth: you can’t run a business long-term if you’re not in alignment with yourself—physically, mentally, and emotionally. The same hustle mentality that’s celebrated in the entrepreneur world can also lead to burnout, and I was teetering on that edge without even realizing it. It took that health scare to hit me over the head with the reality that I needed to make a shift.
Pivoting Isn’t Just About Changing Your Product or Service
When most people think about business pivots, they imagine changing their product or service, launching something completely different, or going after a new market. But a pivot isn’t always about your external changes—it’s about your internal adjustments, too. It’s about looking at how you work, how you show up, and whether your business model is sustainable for the long haul.
For me, that meant realizing that my business wasn’t built in a way that allowed me to take breaks, recharge, or even prioritize my health. I was so caught up in growth and hitting milestones that I wasn’t paying attention to the foundation I was building on.
This health scare forced me to reimagine what “success” looked like. It taught me that success isn’t just about scaling and earning—it’s about building a business that can thrive even when life gets in the way. It’s about creating space for rest and recovery without feeling like you’re sacrificing progress.
The Power of Slowing Down to Move Faster
Here’s something that might sound counterintuitive: sometimes you need to slow down to speed up.
When I started rethinking my business after the health scare in June 2023, I realized that I’d been pushing myself and my business too hard. And in doing so, I wasn’t allowing the space for creativity, strategy, or genuine connection to flourish.
The pivot wasn’t just about adjusting my approach to business—it was about shifting my mindset. I had to stop glorifying the grind and focus more on working smarter, not harder. This meant reevaluating my priorities, eliminating tasks that didn’t serve my bigger vision, and giving myself permission to take time off when I needed it.
When I gave myself this grace, it opened up the space for the kind of clarity I needed to grow my business in a more sustainable and intentional way.
Embrace Flexibility in Your Business Model
A health scare can change your priorities fast. What I thought was important before suddenly became irrelevant, and I had to make some tough decisions. But here’s the kicker: those decisions were actually the pivot I needed in my business.
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned from this experience is that business success isn’t just about how well you can execute your original plan—it’s about how quickly and gracefully you can adapt when things shift. Life happens, and your business needs to be able to pivot in response to the unexpected.
For me, this meant looking at the structure of my business: Do I have enough flexibility to adapt when something unexpected happens? Could I work less and still generate income? Could I make my offers more aligned with the lifestyle I wanted to create—not just the hustle I thought I had to keep chasing?
The answer was yes. And it was a pivot I needed, not just for my health, but for the long-term growth of my business.
Why You Need to Build Your Own Pivot Strategy
The thing about business pivots is that they don’t need to be reactive—they can be proactive. You can create a business model that allows for pivots before the need arises. In fact, the most successful entrepreneurs aren’t the ones who can simply react to change—they’re the ones who’ve built businesses that are prepared for change, no matter what it looks like.
Whether it’s adjusting your working hours, shifting your offerings, or building in more freedom to take care of yourself—create a pivot strategy before you have to. That way, when life throws you a curveball, you’ll have the tools, mindset, and systems in place to handle it gracefully.
The Bottom Line: Pivoting Is About Freedom
The truth I learned from my health scare in June 2023 is simple: pivoting isn’t just a business strategy; it’s a freedom strategy.
By embracing flexibility, setting healthier boundaries, and designing a business that allows for real balance, you can build a business that thrives even during challenging times. And that’s what I want for you too—not just growth, but a sustainable, enjoyable journey.
So, the next time life asks you to pivot, don’t see it as a setback. See it as an opportunity to redefine what success means for you.
Have you experienced a pivot in your business? What was it like, and how did it change your approach to work and life? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear how you embrace change in your own business!
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