We can guarantee you’re feeling the strain of the economy in your business. 

Instead of feeling like there’s nothing you can do about, we break down 5 practical things that you can do to not only shelter your business but to also prosper in the next year. 

Think of this episode like your tough economy survival guide! 

Head over to iwannacollaborate.com and let us know what you took away from this conversation.

Music credit: The Funkster by Sweet Spot

A Subito Media production

Hello, and welcome back to the eaves drop on us podcast.

2

I'm Jessica.

3

Hey,

4

Susan: I'm Susan.

5

Jessica T: And this week, as this

episode will be released at the

6

very beginning of December, 2023,

we're going to bring a topic that

7

I think has been like, hush, hush.

8

It's been the topic that I think every

small business owner has been feeling.

9

Thinking about, but I wouldn't say

they've been talking about it as

10

much as they probably should be,

and that topic is the economy.

11

were especially keen on

talking about this topic.

12

So I'm going to let you, I'm going

to toss it over to you and let you

13

jump in and start talking about

14

Susan: this.

15

Well, I appreciate that.

16

That's very generous.

17

And in fact, am very keenly aware

and committed on this particular

18

topic because, you know, it

stems from the great pretending.

19

So let's define what

the great pretending is.

20

Everything's fine.

21

My business is great.

22

I'm great.

23

Happy days.

24

And we're seeing it over

and over and over again.

25

Saying it does not make it true.

26

And so that's where the phrase,

the great pretending stemmed from.

27

And so then a deeper question I thought

needed to be asked, well, what are

28

we pretending that's not happening?

29

And it's the economy.

30

And, great or small,

we're feeling the pinch.

31

So that pinch could be

a longer sales cycle.

32

That pinch could be vendors

increasing wildly the fees

33

for their services and goods.

34

And, you know, small businesses are

trying to figure out, okay, on the

35

right hand, I have service, I'm getting

charged more just to do the same.

36

And then I'm looking at, how do I pass

this on to my clients and my clientele

37

and not lose their business in doing so.

38

So this is really, you know, downward

pressure onto the small business purveyors

39

and professional services, especially.

40

So without going on the technical side,

I promise you I'm avoiding that at all

41

costs here because there are bigger

messages to share with folks in the sense

42

of if you are feeling that pinch and

really are getting sick and tired of the

43

great pretending that everything's fine.

44

I'm fine.

45

So

46

Jessica T: we've been

kind of operating like.

47

I think that, yeah, I think

it is the great pretending.

48

It's like, we're just going to keep

acting and doing the same things and

49

like, you know, and I think obviously

with entrepreneurs, there's optimism

50

and we're always, we're problem

solvers and we're going to figure this

51

out and we're going to correct now

we're going to get through this, but

52

Susan: I want to capture

that energy right there.

53

You said we see, we see the glass.

54

Half full, not half empty.

55

I love that optimism.

56

We are, can, can do people.

57

We can figure this out.

58

We can work this out.

59

This runs diametrically

opposed to that, doesn't it?

60

You know, when we're feeling that

pinch and that, and the pressure

61

of a contracting economy, meaning

I'm concerned about losing market

62

share clients and I'm getting

charged more to do the same or less.

63

That's a, that's a

contracting environment.

64

So when that happens, the questions

then become, what the hell do we do?

65

Well, and I

66

Jessica T: want to just actually

thought just validate, I think what

67

a lot of people have been feeling,

which is that shift, you know, we were

68

just talking about this yesterday.

69

So before we get into

like, what, what do you do?

70

How do you, how do you navigate this?

71

validating that.

72

You're not imagining things

like it actually is happening.

73

And, you know, you and I were talking

about this yesterday when we were

74

hosting a live training to a group

of surface based entrepreneurs,

75

you know, who are professional

services, you know, they're, they're.

76

It's not product.

77

It's not anything like that.

78

And so we were talking about how a

couple years ago, people may have

79

prioritized your service as a necessity.

80

And now they're sort of looking at

it like, I'm thinking twice and it's

81

fascinating because it didn't really,

I didn't necessarily explicitly

82

make this connection until we talked

about it, but I was like, Oh my

83

gosh, the market that I have served.

84

Since 2017 has massively shift and shifted

in terms of what it is that they are

85

focusing on what they're looking for.

86

And more importantly, what

they're willing to invest in.

87

so I'll just give the quick example

for the benefit of the listeners.

88

And then I, I, I want to get into like,

okay, so what do we do about this, but.

89

You know, back in 2018 when you and I were

on the conference event circuit, we were

90

speaking all over the place in person and

I was positioning, you know, online course

91

creation and let's, let's, you know,

create this killer course and your modules

92

are going to look so great and, and

people ate it up because it was so, it was

93

creative and it was fun and people love

their, their quote signature process and

94

their acronyms and, you know, you know,

Taking the thing that's in their brain

95

and putting it onto, you know, exactly.

96

And people had time and the

resources to say, I'm going to

97

play with this a little bit more.

98

Now it's not even on

the list of priorities.

99

It's like, I need to make sales.

100

This, this baby needs to make money.

101

I couldn't focus on the quality of what's

inside this thing later, but I don't have

102

time to spend parsing back and forth.

103

So I think it's first.

104

You know, I think recognizing in one's

business, where are you starting to

105

see the symptoms of the economy or feel

106

Susan: yeah.

107

And so I love that observation,

by the way, thank you.

108

And the sharing there that you just

gave, because I think, you know,

109

folks listening in will really.

110

It becomes much more tangible, right?

111

So, if I may, I'm going

to pivot right into.

112

What does this all mean?

113

And what's the bottom line here, ladies?

114

Jessica T: just have to say, I like

that you're not sitting and they're

115

like, let's talk about how this

is showing up in our businesses.

116

It's like, no, we, we need to make some

decisions and start planning and thinking

117

about what we're going to do in 2024.

118

Susan: Yeah, you got to bottom line it.

119

So the question becomes, okay.

120

What the hell do we do?

121

The economy is contracting.

122

Now what?

123

So here's some now what solutions.

124

Step 1, really take a look at

where you're feeling that pinch.

125

Are you getting vendors coming

in at you left and right?

126

requesting a 12, 15, 20 percent

increase on their services.

127

Remember that it's a

negotiating opportunity.

128

That's 1 thing I'm always fascinated by.

129

You can either have a conversation with,

you know, if it's a larger service like

130

keep keep just gave us a fabulous notice.

131

And

132

Jessica T: keep is keep is

in an email marketing system.

133

It's

134

Susan: a it's a CRM, large scale CRM.

135

And it's really what got me thinking

is like, I see this, I'm wondering how

136

smaller purveyors are doing and it's

137

percent increases across the board.

138

So your bookkeeper is

giving you an increase.

139

Your software or tech stack

purveyors are giving you an

140

increase, so on and so forth.

141

So what the hell do you do about it?

142

Well, number one, pick the phone

up, have a conversation with them.

143

This is a conversation,

not a tutorial environment.

144

This is a dialogue.

145

I would like to work with you.

146

Can we negotiate or have a

conversation about this increase?

147

Are you able to grandfather me in?

148

Because if they're offering real

sweetheart rates to newbies coming in

149

and sticking you with a price increase,

you better have that conversation.

150

Right?

151

So you're going to pick the phone up

and have a productive, respectful,

152

professional conversation.

153

That means you need to know

what your outcome win is.

154

The outcome win is not to take on that

full impact of their price increase.

155

That's one.

156

Two, you need to ask yourself,

do you really even need it?

157

Have you evolved and

grown and, or shifted?

158

Do you need that full or service at all?

159

Right?

160

It's both ways.

161

So, that's one thing

I'm always fascinated.

162

Small business providers tend

to be a little bit slow to that.

163

And it happens to do

because they have less time.

164

Perceived last time.

165

And yes, I stuck that word in there.

166

Perceived.

167

They do have the time.

168

They perceive they have less.

169

I digress.

170

So then we go into the next

thing I always recommend.

171

Have conversations with your so

called leads or potential clients.

172

You know, it's okay to

spread out payments.

173

Some is always better

than none, and I think if

174

Jessica T: I could just jump in, I think

the theme of the first two points has

175

really been communication, and I think

on the one hand, but the first option,

176

it's, you know, when you're receiving

information and news from the vendors

177

that you're working with that like

prices are increasing, it's like, well,

178

sure, you could just take it and be

like, well, I guess it is what it is.

179

But if you're saying like,

actually, you can advocate for

180

yourself and have a conversation.

181

And I think the second thing is also, you

know, having an open line of communication

182

with your clients and customers.

183

Yes.

184

Susan: A hundred percent

communication always wins the day.

185

Always.

186

So now, you know, let's

take a look at your pricing.

187

And your market share, if you will,

I promise you, you're seeing when

188

you purchase goods and services, the

new button that's on every checkout,

189

would you like to have after pay?

190

Would you like to spread

your payments out?

191

Take a lesson from our big

brothers and sisters in corporate

192

and medium sized enterprises.

193

If they're having to do the

same, well, jump on boat.

194

Offer the same to your

clientele or potential clients.

195

And I think

196

Jessica T: I want to jump in and just

say, because I know so many, I've seen

197

this so often in social media scrolling

and some of the Facebook groups that I'm

198

part of where service based people will

kind of say like, Oh my gosh, I, you know,

199

I spread it into payments and I did the

whole service and the person didn't pay.

200

I mean, be smart about it in the sense

that like, you know, creating an agreed

201

upon structure for payment and payment

plans, but honors both Parties a

202

Susan: hundred percent.

203

Jessica T: Thank you.

204

I feel like I just had to say that.

205

Cause I'm like, okay, someone listening

to this is going to be like, okay, so

206

I'll just give someone who's coming in 15

payments and I'll do all the workup for

207

like, no, that's not what we're saying.

208

Usually it's a

209

Susan: beginning, middle and

end payment, you know, by the.

210

You recover the last payment on

the last day of services, right?

211

It should be, you should be chasing

after payments after the fact.

212

Unless they have exceptional, you

know, payment history and that's a

213

client that's been with you before.

214

And, you know, the ads included,

but, you know, the rule of thumb here

215

is, you know, if you're professional

services, so I'm talking to my.

216

Dental doctor attorneys, my CPAs.

217

You know, folks like that aren't

going to use those services and

218

run away and, you know, go and.

219

Ghost them there there are

mechanisms to recover and so stay on.

220

You know, a healthy footing, but I also

want to address the smaller providers

221

and purveyors and insane that that, you

know, what, if they have good credit

222

history and yeah, you would have to

take a look at their credit history.

223

I recommend you looking into that.

224

I don't think it's within the

scope of what we're chatting with.

225

Today on, but I do think, you know,

ultimately, I'm going to come back

226

to what can you do here are options.

227

So it will take you.

228

Asking those questions, what can I do?

229

What should I do about the payments?

230

Well, can I jump in real

231

Jessica T: quick I think this is also

something really fascinating that we're

232

seeing a lot of business owners feeling

inclined to do right now, which is

233

lower their rate for the same service.

234

So if we're talking about like payments,

I also think it's it's worthy of us

235

talking about Before you feel that desire

to say, well, I feel bad because, you

236

know, people are going through a tough

time or it's harder for them to pay or

237

whatever it is that excuse that you're

kind of hearing from your clients resist

238

the temptation to lower your prices

for the same service because you take

239

it away, Susan, like, why is that a

240

Susan: challenging decision?

241

You're not delivering less value.

242

More or less time.

243

Yeah.

244

Well, I put that in my world, in my mind.

245

I always put the two

together, but you're right.

246

if I am spreading payments out,

it's not to say that I don't

247

believe that this has an X value.

248

It just means I'm willing

to extend you a courtesy.

249

It's not a pass.

250

It's a courtesy.

251

So, we would have to agree on X.

252

So, let's use a round number.

253

You and I just sell something for 100.

254

I can break it out into

two payments, 50 50.

255

All the time you understand it,

you still owe a total of 100.

256

So I shouldn't have to lower my

price because I'm extending you

257

even more grace and courtesy.

258

Jessica T: you know, I think for

some business owners, there's the.

259

I just, I don't want to put, my

clients out or my customers out.

260

I don't, I know times are

tough and I think the twisting

261

and bending of oneself then

262

Susan: they need to get clear on

how essential their services are.

263

And if they're absolutely not essential.

264

I would recommend that you find

an essential component to it.

265

Don't become a one trick pony.

266

Yeah, be creative.

267

Absolutely.

268

You cannot, you cannot in these times.

269

Allow yourself to get cornered

into, well, I'm a nicety.

270

So if I'm a prioritized by other

financial demands, then that

271

means your market has shifted.

272

You need to go find where your

market has shifted to, right?

273

So, you know, if you are

accustomed to selling X, you know,

274

widget or service at set price.

275

Well, you know what your margin of

profitability is in that I would recommend

276

either spread out payments to allow this

standard ideal client or go to where

277

the, you know, the market has shifted.

278

It's an important point for small

businesses to understand that.

279

Just as people can evolve

and change, markets can too.

280

So what do I mean by the market?

281

It's the buying community.

282

It's where you find your ideal

clients is what we actively refer

283

to as the buying environment.

284

If it has picked up stakes and

moved elsewhere, well, you better

285

darn well do your homework and find

it because things have changed.

286

We've often said, if you're doing business

the same way you did pre COVID, In a post

287

COVID world, you do so at your own peril.

288

It comes with terrific risks.

289

So this is where, you know, we

have to break the chains of the

290

delusion that everything's great.

291

All things are good.

292

No, things are challenging and things

are a little bit more labor intensive.

293

So we have to commit some more time to it.

294

It doesn't mean we have

to get steamrolled by it.

295

Not even a little

296

Jessica T: bit.

297

Well, and what I like

what you're saying is.

298

it's being creative in the sense that if

what you had before it's people aren't

299

biting at it the way that they were.

300

Can you add something a little bit

different in terms of a service

301

or attaching a product to it?

302

That is going to change how

someone is going to perceive it.

303

And that could be.

304

You know, something you're already doing.

305

It could also be learning something new

or connecting or building a relationship

306

with another provider to, to transform

that, you know, and If a business owner

307

just wanted to, you know, they're,

they weren't interested in doing that.

308

They're like, this is my service.

309

This is what I do, but I also recognize

that my target audience, my ideal

310

client is going to have a tough time.

311

Either investing in this

deciding to say yes to this.

312

1 of our clients just went through that

and they said, I'm not going to change my.

313

My market.

314

I'm not going to go, I'm not going

to go search for a different market.

315

What I am going to do with my existing

market and my existing client base is

316

I'm just going to change the offer,

reducing the price, reducing the

317

investment, simultaneously reducing the.

318

Deliverables the, the fulfillment

components so that it's also

319

it's a win cost burden, right?

320

And so it ends up being, I think, a

win win for everybody recognizing that

321

the audience very much needs this.

322

They recognize they need it.

323

They just, it needs to be repackaged and

324

Susan: repositioned.

325

Yes.

326

And we should be doing that

regardless, quite frankly.

327

You know, this is again, the perils

of becoming a one trick pony.

328

We honestly have been seeing this

for at least a year and a half with

329

clients repurpose, reframe, reuse what

you've pushed out there to the market.

330

In other words, understand your content.

331

Understand your value, understand

how you can best serve and support

332

those that you want to do work with.

333

So, you know, we ask

people in a very small way.

334

All right, if you create some content,

let's see if we can extrapolate a blog

335

post, social media post, and maybe

even an email sequence out of it in

336

terms of content creation, right?

337

It's no different with

your products and services.

338

No different.

339

what more can we do with X

or this particular widget?

340

Can it be partnered with, to your

point, another vendor in the market

341

to basically remind our market share

who may have shifted and moved,

342

Hey, we're still here, you know?

343

so get creative.

344

This is where play to

your strengths, right?

345

You acknowledged.

346

Earlier that we're optimistic and we're

creative people will tap into that energy.

347

Get creative.

348

that's what we should do about

349

Jessica T: this.

350

What I what I'm enjoying about this

conversation is I think it's so easy

351

for for so many of us, especially in

the small business world to feel like.

352

If there's not much we can do,

we kind of feel powerless and in

353

some instances, there isn't much

individually we can do to change the

354

bigger decisions that are being made.

355

However, what I like about this

is, is that we don't have to

356

roll over and just accept it.

357

I think it introduces one is sort of

growing that backbone and understanding

358

that you can advocate for your

business and watch out for what you're

359

investing in, who you're working with.

360

Um, and two, I think it also, as we've

been talking about just a few moments

361

ago, is, is that creativity that so many

of us have, it's like, well, let's tap

362

into that and be problem solvers here.

363

Yes.

364

Susan: This is where it gets

to be a little bit fun and

365

you can use your imagination.

366

You can use your ingenuity, tap

into those networks that you

367

haven't had an opportunity to.

368

So there's a number of

ways that you can pivot.

369

And respond, don't

react, respond to market.

370

I guess impacts if you allow it to

another thing, I want to encourage

371

individuals that are running their

own small businesses and, you know,

372

leaders in that is remember to now if

you have team, they're feeling the pain

373

and the pinch of the economy as well.

374

So small businesses tend

to overlook mainly because

375

they're so darn demanded upon.

376

The pain and the stress and the

overwhelm of the, the economy on

377

their employees and their vendors.

378

So, you know, expressing,

hey, look, I see it.

379

It's that, you know, acknowledging

the big boogeyman in the room.

380

It doesn't mean again we're going

to keep hitting this drum folks.

381

You don't have to go out to the

greater world and fix it, but you

382

can acknowledge to people in the

room that it exists, and I'm going

383

to share with you the power of that.

384

I'm a member of, we are, of

course, a member of a mastermind.

385

And I noticed a little group thing setting

up that, oh yeah, everything's fine.

386

It's all hunky dory.

387

I'm good.

388

I'm good.

389

And so of course I pulled the

pin and I rolled out the grenade.

390

Yeah, what about this

economy we're all in?

391

How are we doing?

392

And it was incredible.

393

Everybody was like, Oh, finally,

we're going to really talk about this.

394

And it turned into an awesome opportunity

of give and take and suggestion.

395

And I found it so liberating

and exhilarating, quite

396

frankly, and empowering.

397

And here's why.

398

Just like in our conversation,

Jessica, where, you know, we're,

399

this, or this, or this, or this.

400

The group in this mastermind

were on fire with options.

401

So to my dear listeners, I would encourage

you find other like minded small business

402

purveyors and service providers because

it's what they're going through it to

403

have some suggestions or creative ideas.

404

And that's the power of community.

405

That's the power of good communication.

406

So, I wanted to share that because

it was really an enlightening map.

407

And then, then you saw a whole

bunch of content and rhetoric come

408

out from the mastermind organizers.

409

Which, Well, it belongs to a grand

poobah, I'll just leave it at that.

410

And it was, it was a little humbled

and gratified, quite honestly, that,

411

you know, even our little business

that's fabulous and enjoyable can

412

impact and influence the greater good.

413

And so being seen, being heard

is so incredibly important and

414

being brave in this instance, we

all need to be a little braver.

415

Well, and I think that

416

Jessica T: this, the idea of having a

community is going to be really important

417

because I think we are going to continue.

418

I've seen it.

419

I know you have seen it.

420

The, the notices of people who are closing

things down, closing their business.

421

And think that that can be avoided if

that person wants it to be avoided.

422

If that's if they don't want

to get to a place where they

423

have to close their business.

424

I think it's one of those where

hold on, find a community.

425

And

426

Susan: tap into that goes to,

427

Jessica T: yeah, use your vendor.

428

Like community can look like

a lot of different things.

429

It could be, you know, you

know, a networking group.

430

It could be your vendors.

431

It could be other business friends,

but people who are committed to being

432

creative and problem solving and getting

through this, because I think that energy.

433

Is, and that positive, like, can do

attitude is going to be so important.

434

Attractive.

435

It's so attractive.

436

It is attractive.

437

And I'm just thinking, like, we're

going to weather and start seeing

438

some, some closures of, of things.

439

And I think it's like, you know, that

is not going to be my business's story.

440

And so I'm going to do what

I can to surround myself by

441

other like minded individuals

442

Susan: who You have to face it.

443

But, but that's the

great pretending, right?

444

If we break it down now, I'm not

asking everybody to, you know, go

445

into the fetal position and find a

corner and have a good, ugly snot cry.

446

I'm saying actually get a chip on to your

shoulder, get, get a little gritty here.

447

Get, uh, you know, we can, what the

heck are we going to do about this?

448

Can I add one

449

Jessica T: more to this that

we haven't talked about yet?

450

I think people are going to

have to get a lot braver.

451

Yes.

452

Yes.

453

Okay.

454

let me paint this picture.

455

I think what was so easy for so

456

and even further back, right?

457

Yeah.

458

I think it was so easy for people to

just, you know, And I'm talking about a

459

service based entrepreneur here, right?

460

Like post something on social media,

you know, do one little thing, you

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know, send one little email and like

the floods of people would come in.

462

Right.

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I think, I think for, for a lot of people,

it was just so easy to do those things and

464

it felt effortless and there would just

be surrounded by like tons of easy sales.

465

I think people.

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In business right now, when I talk

about being brave, it's doing the

467

thing that you wake up and you're

like, I don't really want to do it.

468

I'm afraid to do it.

469

I've resisted doing it.

470

I don't like doing it.

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No, your business needs you to do it.

472

It's like, go pick up the phone, go

do the thing that you've been avoiding

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doing because it's easy not to do it,

but your business needs it right now.

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So I think there's, I, I read something.

475

It was, it was kind of vulgar.

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It was like you got like,

uh, what, what was it?

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It was something like, um, I like vulgar.

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Vulgar.

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I mean, it was, it's, it's, it was

something to the effect of like, your

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business needs you to have balls right

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Susan: now.

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Right.

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I don't know of a moment where our

business didn't require that of

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us to have a straight, straight

backbone and a small attitude.

485

You know, you have to feel like the runt

of the litter at all times, just, you're

486

just going to get in there and grab

it, you know, you have to be scrappy.

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Jessica T: Well, I think scrappy

looks like, you know, there is

488

an element of requiring bravery.

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It's like, for example, it's the,

I haven't been speaking a lot,

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or I've been avoiding speaking.

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It's like, well now go book

yourself a speaking gig.

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I haven't been engaging

with my email list.

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We'll go write the email

and send it to your list.

494

Right.

495

Go ahead.

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Susan: Yeah, and I love that you're

going down that lane and this is really

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important and this actually ties back

to our webinar yesterday in terms of.

498

You know, the focus is now

on money and time, right?

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Time.

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And money, by the way, did I say

money and time time and money?

501

Did you did you share that with

you time and money money time?

502

So, how does that show up?

503

Well, it's called business 101.

504

you're very basics and wherever you're

weak on your basic and slack or, you know.

505

Forward slash fundamentals.

506

It's going to show up a little bit, but

don't get wigged out by that though.

507

Don't, don't worry.

508

Jessica T: Well, I'm actually going

to put a caveat because if you're

509

listening to this and you're like,

Ooh, I don't know if I am the most, the

510

last episode, the solo episode I did

talked about those foundational pieces.

511

And if those are a little shaky,

it's going to kind of show up

512

in some other places for you.

513

Yeah.

514

So,

515

Susan: Yeah, as small businesses, you

know, we do a lot that is lean and

516

just in time, and that's not a failing.

517

A lot of folks, when you start going to

10 to 15 employees, it feels like it's

518

kind of Overstayed its welcome that kind

of business model and you get a little

519

bit more formal and you have much more

systems and processes and frameworks I'm

520

talking to the us true small businesses,

you know, where you may have less than

521

five employees and you have a fabulous

lifestyle business and you're really

522

all in, you're really committed and

you're worried about your, your business

523

staying open and, you know, finding

centers of profitability for yourself.

524

Well, first thing, kick that

habit of refine all's good.

525

No impacts.

526

Pick that delusion to the corner

and then, you know, take 1 or

527

2 of our kind suggestions here.

528

And I, you know, when I talk about

money here, I'm talking about,

529

you know, your ones and zeros.

530

Because as we're asking vendors to

extend a little courtesy and a break

531

in that percentage, because I can

assure you, those small to medium sized

532

enterprises and corporate have really

kicked out how long they could go before

533

they passed on that price increase.

534

They're low to pass on price

increases just as we are.

535

They're at the at the end of the line.

536

They have to do it because they're

feeling it from their employees.

537

Hey, we need pay raises.

538

It's not keeping up with the economy.

539

So it's, it's a catch 22 here.

540

Okay.

541

So, you know, it's okay to ask, Hey,

look, can we have a conversation.

542

So knowing your ones and zeros,

that's your magic, the time, fine.

543

Well, you know, If you can shorten up

your time in terms of deliverabilities,

544

what once upon a time you had a six

month offering, and I'm talking to

545

coaches, authors, and consultants,

if it took you six months, take a

546

look at offering it for three months.

547

What could you do for three

months if it was three months?

548

Look for two and a half

months or two months.

549

You see where I'm going.

550

I'm shaving time off of the

deliverable because why?

551

People need.

552

Outcome now, not tomorrow.

553

I need quote unquote more

sales now, not tomorrow.

554

I need more time to get more

sales when now, not tomorrow.

555

And many purveyors really need to

tune into that of their market share.

556

Well, I

557

Jessica T: think that this has just been,

I don't want to say uplifting because I

558

feel like that's not the right word, but

I think it's been so I think it's, it's,

559

well, it's been positive in the sense

that I think, as I mentioned earlier,

560

rather than just paint the picture of

like, here's why the economy sucks.

561

Here's why it feels so hard.

562

You know, we're, I'm glad that

we tapped into let's be creative.

563

Let's be problem solvers.

564

Let's be communicators and let's work

our way through this because, you

565

know, focusing on the doom and gloom

is not going to do anybody any good.

566

You

567

Susan: know, that's not why

you went into small business

568

Jessica T: and that's not why.

569

Yeah.

570

I mean, if you're interested

economics and history, and you

571

want to geek out about that.

572

Sure.

573

Go down the, go down the rabbit hole.

574

But I think as far as like, you know,

when we sit down with our clients,

575

it's like, we're not going to let you

roll over and just struggle with this.

576

So Susan, I'm so glad that we, we took

this conversation the way that we did.

577

And so I think with that, yeah, it

was, it was, it was actually very

578

fun considering it was a very.

579

It's a serious topic, serious topic.

580

It is.

581

So, so yeah.

582

So thank you so much for tuning

in, Susan, thank you as always

583

for such a great conversation.

584

Susan: It's a joy.

585

We'll see you next time.

586

Bye.

587

Bye.