Pivot. A five-letter word that when used as a verb simply means to turn.
Over the past 120 days, the word pivot has taken on increased significance for businesses, individuals and even our basic way of life. Along with phrases like social distancing, PPE and flattening the curve, the term pivot has become part of our regular vernacular.
Businesses are pivoting like never before. Sure, tech start-ups and digital-savvy brands have regularly demonstrated a knack for adapting to market changes and consumer needs, but when was the last time we saw the restaurant industry change its basic business model?
Individuals have also been forced to pivot as well. Working from home is the new norm. So is teaching from home, cooking three meals a day from home, and Zooming with friends and family to celebrate birthdays and other milestones – all from home.
Over the past few months, I’ve also been forced to pivot. As a result of the pandemic, I found myself, like many other Canadians, out of a job. While I knew it was a possibility, it still shocked me when it happened. But, not in the way you might think.
Losing my job on May 21st as a result of a global pandemic that was completely out of my control made me realize that although there has been so much lost as a result of COVID-19 -- most notably the tragic loss of so many lives -- there has also been so much found.
I have found tremendous joy in working from home while my wife and teenage kids are here with me. We have spent more time together over the past four months than we have in the last three years. We have meals together, go for walks together and just work together as a team to get through the days as best we can.
I have also found my freedom. Less than 24 hours after being dismissed from my job I connected with a high school friend who lives in the neighbourhood. He and a few other concerned parents were putting together an initiative to help parents keep their kids busy during the summer months when school was over and camps would likely be cancelled. Within a day I was drafting messages, pitching media and helping them launch Backyard Camp…more on that another time.
Later that week, I received a call from a former colleague I hadn’t heard from in years. He was involved with a business that needed communications and PR support. A week later, after letting a few other people in my network know I was no longer gainfully employed, I was approached by another company to provide consulting services and help them reposition their brand in the marketplace.
So, here we are. Just a short time from the day I was told I was no longer needed at the PR agency I worked at for about a year, I, like so many others, have made my pivot. The result is something I’m extremely proud of and excited to share. Allow me to introduce you to Frequency PR Inc. You’ll be hearing more from Frequency in the coming weeks, months and years.
In the meantime, if you are responsible for a brand or business, regardless of the size or industry, you are likely contemplating your own next move or pivot. I’d love to talk with you about your plans and, perhaps, help you get to where you want to be. One thing we’ve learned over the past few months is we’re all in this together.