The Best Laid Plans . . .

Sometimes the dream you see arrives as a complete disaster. This is what happened to me a few months ago.

I started a YouTube channel.

Initially, it was out of necessity. After repeatedly answering the same questions and walking clients through the same processes (e.g., preparing for interviews, starting a business, etc.) I decided to make videos that I could send to them. That way they could refer to the videos anytime, whenever it was convenient for them. 

And, as someone who wholeheartedly believes in multiple streams of income, I decided to place these videos on YouTube to build a library of evergreen content. So, ever the ambitious goal-setter, I started publishing two videos a week. 

Now, there’s a lot that goes into making a YouTube video—identifying topics, researching, filming, editing, thumbnails, publishing. Four months in I was exhaustingly overwhelmed. I became increasingly inconsistent, the death rattle for a channel.

My initial feeling was that this just wasn’t for me . . . I didn’t have what it takes to succeed on YouTube. 

But that was a nebulous feeling not rooted in any kind of reality. So, I stepped away and gave myself the necessary mental space to gain some perspective.

It wasn’t that my idea or vision for my channel was bad, but the execution was admittedly flawed. I put things on a lengthy pause while I reworked my plan and came up with something I could sustain long term.

Why Setbacks Are Valuable Data

Every new thing you try is an experiment. 

You may have thoughts on how it will all turn out, but you don’t know. You’re testing a hypothesis. Every expected result confirms your projections of what will likely occur, and every unexpected result forces you to reconsider that hypothesis.

The lessons you learn from your experimentation reveal strengths and weaknesses you may not have realized. For example, my failed first attempt revealed poor planning and unrealistic goals. 

Here’s the framework I apply to all my “experiments”: Keep, Delete, Tweak, Add.

• What worked? Keep it.

• What didn’t work? Delete it.

• What could have worked with adjustments? Tweak it.

• What’s missing? Add it.

Failure is feedback, not a verdict. 85% of success is in your control. Identify what you need to measure, measure it regularly, and improve consistently over time.

Success in your business is built on five controllable factors:

• Strategic Planning and Market Research

• Execution and Consistency

• Adaptability and Learning

• Relationship Building and Networking

• Your Mindset

85% chance of success? I’ll take those odds.

Turning Lessons into Strategy

Lessons you learn through your experiments can be turned into a strategy that gives value to your clients. 

Analyze the data you gather from your experiment. Review metrics, customer feedback, and input from trusted colleagues or team members. Then, iterate—adjust your offering, product, messaging, or timing based on insights.

CONNECT is the proverbial poster-child of message iterations. Almost seven years ago it was a journal entry, just an idea. The first public form took shape in early 2020, targeting yoga instructors building businesses. When COVID happened I had to end our meetings to focus on running my school during the pandemic. 

That wasn’t the end of CONNECT, but the forced hiatus  and other life happenings derailed progress. By the time I returned to my incubated idea it was 2022, yoga no longer felt like the right vehicle. 

I went into reflect and plan mode for over a year. The first reboot was March 2023 with a second reboot a year later.

If you’ve been a part of CONNECT since the beginning you’ve experienced (and heard) it all.

Make it a habit to debrief after your setback. Without judgment, reflect on what happened. Formalize what you’ve learned by writing it out. Identify where things fell off the rails and any lessons you can take away.

Building Trust Through Transparency 

Whether you live out your missteps in public or they happen in private, sharing what you’ve learned allows you the opportunity to connect with your clients or followers. People gain value from vulnerable authenticity more than from projected perfection.

When you reveal your setbacks it provides a number of things:

• Relatability: People are flawed. When you willingly open up about challenges in your business it reminds us that we aren’t the only ones.

• Trust: People are skeptical of everything these days. Sharing your vulnerabilities (which takes trust) makes people more willing to believe what you stand for. 

• Strength: Resilience is one of the core pillars of success in any business. When you share how you overcome challenges you teach others the rewards of perseverance.

• Adaptability: Projecting your next steps shows an awareness that setbacks are meant to be lessons. Modeling this skill not only offers clients or followers insight into your thinking, but it teaches others a skill they can apply to their own setbacks.

Be honest about the setback, focus on lessons, and outline next steps using a newsletter or social post breaking down your experience.

Allow others to learn from your errors through a story with an arc that leads people through the setback, your reflection, and your focus on growth. Lessons taught through a story stick with people allowing them to absorb the lessons themselves.

My Final Word

Setbacks are springboards when you treat them as data and share the lessons to teach others, build trust, and bolster your resilience.

Retrain your brain to soften emotional responses to challenges and, instead, approach them as building blocks that strengthen your business.

What recent setbacks have you encountered that have left you reeling? How can you create space to reflect, learn, regroup, and reengage? Get ready to expand your growth!

Join CONNECT-collective on YouTube!

If you are a solopreneur or entertaining starting your own solo business, I invite you to check out CONNECT-collective on YouTube! I talk about starting solo businesses to escape your 9-5 while avoiding burnout. I would love to see you there!

Special Invitation

Follow me on YouTube and LinkedIn to get tips and articles on business and career advice, and burnout recovery!

Sending you all Peace, Love, & Harmony!

-Michele

Do You Need Help Tapping Into Your Potential?

Are you struggling to meet your goals and wish you had support? Have you ever considered working with a coach? You may not know what a coach does.

One-on-One Coaching:

• You and I develop an individualized plan targeting your specific goals

• You receive individualized support from me

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