Growing or getting a business off the ground can feel like enough of a challenge without the added economic strain of a global pandemic. Now that we’re in the midst of one— how can we ensure our businesses not only survive but thrive?

In today’s episode, guests Andy Long, of Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Jeff Edwards of The Stryk Group talk resilience. Find out what Jeff learned from surviving multiple major economic turns including the tech bubble and housing crisis. Andy breaks down the difference between the companies that will make it to the other side of economic disruption. Hear their advice for small businesses trying to keep their dreams alive through the coronavirus pandemic. Find out why mindset may be more important than you think.

Top Takeaways:

• How small businesses can survive and thrive after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Advice for small business owners on mindset and perspective.
• Lessons learned from previous economic downturns.
• The primary difference between companies that make it through major adversity.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:01] Intro
• [00:15] Meet Andy Long and Jeff Edwards
• [01:19] Jeff Edwards on creating structure through adversity
• [06:06] Andy Long’s work with early companies 
• [11:46] Jeff's lessons learned from multiple economic downturns
• [21:19] What Jeff would tell his younger self
• [24:15] Andy's mindset tips for facing adversity
• [27:10] Relating to one another and being intentional
• [31:11] Investing carefully emotionally 
• [35:39] The world is changing, be proactive as it happens
• [37:48] Advice for small business owners trying to keep their dream alive
• [39:57] Finding balance and harvesting strength as a leader
• [43:28] Outro

Stand-Out Quotes:

• "Do I have the right aperture on who I'm doing business with and how I'm doing business?and am I the only one facing these challenges?... It's important to kind of put into perspective who you are in the scope of that and to know that it's still just a business. If that is the core of where you find your greatest value, it's going to be very challenging because feelings are going to eat you alive." -Andy Long [26:11] 

• “If you're sitting and you're thinking and you're feeling your way through what it's going to be like if your business fails during this time, you're weakening your internal fortitude… That probably has more to do with failure than anything else that you experience in business because once we're worn out emotionally, we don't have the strength to persevere.” -Jeff Edwards [33:05] 

Resources Mentioned:

• Boost Point
• Ben Franklin Technology Partners
• The Stryk Group
• HBR: How to Survive a Recession and Thrive Afterward

Connect:

Find | Sam Beiler

At boostpoint.com

On Instagram:@sam_beiler

On Twitter: @sambeiler

Find | Andy Long 

At 

Every one of our business started with an idea and a dream. To create a better life for yourself and for the people you love.  

So we launch our business and start providing value to our community and somehow things start to work and we’re off to races to building our dream. 

But every day we run into roadblocks that try to keep us from reaching our goals and sometimes we get stuck not knowing what to do and how to grow. 

Welcome to the Small Businesses, Big Growth Podcast. A podcast to help small business entrepreneurs to think creatively so you can grow better. 

I’m Sam Beiler Co-founder and CEO of Boostpoint and your host.

Each week I’ll be bringing you interviews with leaders who have built successful businesses and actionable business and marketing advice that you can steal for your business. 

In a world of noise and heavy competition 

This show can be the one-stop shop for the information and inspiration you need to grow your businesses in 2020 and beyond. 

Make sure you hit subscribe on apple podcast, Spotify or where you get your podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.. I’ll take to you soon.