When Life Happens: Women Business Owners and Personal Crisis

It can be lonely when you run your business. I’ve talked to so many CEO’s, presidents, and sole proprietors who describe the isolation and that they have to be careful about who they share their questions and uncertainties as they lead their organizations forward. Now, imagine that you’ve been given a diagnosis that you have breast cancer, your mother cannot live by herself anymore due to dementia, or your spouse has been laid off and you must be the sole breadwinner.

Two years ago, I was handed a crisis I never saw coming. My husband, daughter, and I welcomed my son with great joy and knew that, for a while, there would be sleep deprivation and some interesting scheduling challenges. I figured I would keep things low-key at first and then gradually build up during his first year.

But that’s not what happened. A few months after my son’s birth, he seemed to be so itchy and red. He had problems sleeping because he was so uncomfortable.  My husband and I started a process that involved multiple dermatologists and allergists to get a diagnosis and a treatment regimen that would get him more comfortable and stable. Since I had more flexible hours, it fell to me to go to the majority of  appointments and research causes and treatments. It was determined that he had multiple food allergies, environmental allergies, and chemical sensitivities and, since he was breastfeeding, I had to go on what I called the “No Fun Diet.” At one point, I was on such an elimination diet that I lost quite a bit of weight and wasn’t getting the kind of nutrition I needed. And yes, I was still trying to run my coaching business. It was awful!

 But I’m not one to just plod along, hoping for the best. There had to be better coping strategies and better ways to manage my business so it stayed open.

It got me wondering…how do women business owners manage personal crises while running their businesses? It’s hard to act energetic and passionate about your business when you’re tapped out. There were moments when I was totally convinced that I was doing it all wrong. Yet, I’d hear stories of other women taking all kinds of adversity and building inspiring and sensationally successful businesses. These women are sole proprietors, CEO’s of major corporations, and everything in between. I was talking with another woman business owner who was experiencing a divorce and she suggested that these stories and all that the women learned be put into a book.

When Life Happens: How Women Business Owners Conquer Personal Crisis (working title) is a collaboration between Chris Vasiliadis and myself. The basic premise is to interview women business owners who experienced a personal crisis while running their businesses. These crises run the gambit of being experienced directly or as a caregiver of a family member. The ideal candidate would be a woman business owner with a business that was at least 3 years old when the crisis occurred. All of the experiences and lessons learned will help other women business owners navigate similar life events.

I’m delighted to introduce you to my c0-author, Chris Vasiliadis. She is the founder of Priority Wellness (www.prioritywellness.com) and a Wellness Coach. She works with stressed entrepreneurs who are ready to regain control of their wellness. Her personal crisis is receiving a diagnosis of and living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Do you have a story you would like to share? Do you know someone who has a story to share? If so, please send an email to mystory@abilitysuccessgrowth.com and Chris or I will contact you to schedule an interview.

We look forward to hearing your story!