A global pandemic, an economic crisis and a racial movement are each hard to grasp experiencing in any lifetime, but the reality of all three happening to the entire world within a few months is numbing. It’s so big that it has been impossible (at least for me) to be truly present. I have had my moments of being fully aware during this time, experiencing panic, loss, mourning, anger, fear and unsettled grief. And being fully present for more than a few stints at a time meant actually processing my feelings and understanding the breadth of it all. I’ve realized that my coping method has really been denial and that living in this “new normal” has left me, and many of us, yearning to get back to the “real world”.

But now that this has been going on for months and what can only be described as immense distress, I realize we are all dealing with the reality of loss settling in and, yes it’s new, but far, far away from normal.

When you are in a state of denial and ignoring certain realities, there could also be a pseudo sense of hope. I was pinching myself and waking up in the middle of the night, panicked, thinking this can’t be true. All of this, yet my family is still here, healthy, safe. And my business hasn’t failed! There’s money in the bank with a business that isn’t thriving, but far from failing. Yes, I too scurried to qualify for the PPP Loan and furloughed employees, going through the motions of what I thought was the right business decisions at the time. Still, I continued to wait for the boogeyman aka “the new normal” to jump out and demand to rob me of this sense of hope.

If you are still reading this (thank you by the way) I am sure you want to know what this has to do with marketing or branding or design and what kind of perspective all of this could provide. I found myself really annoyed by the term “new normal” and it got me thinking about what it meant. What were people, the media, politicians really trying to communicate? LEXICO defines the new normal phrase as “A previously unfamiliar or atypical situation that has become standard, usual or expected.”

Then it finally dawned on me. All stuff I thought was temporary is really permanent and the changes I was resisting weren’t going away, and in fact, has changed me without realizing it. My point is – don’t be fooled. Your company could be barely surviving, or it could be effortlessly thriving, but the reality is the world has permanently changed. Without your express written permission or knowledge, I might add. That also means your brand has changed along with it and if you haven’t already, it’s time to take stock in what that means for you, your employees and your customers.

I realize it is important to practice what we preach, especially during an unpredictable time like this. So Able&Co. has taken a lengthy look at our brand. We put it under a microscope and have taken a look at every square inch of our operation, taking inventory of what we need to keep and what’s got to go. Our strategic, methodical process gave me a chance to look at our chronic issues (which all businesses have), what our true customer value is and what makes the most impact to our bottom line. All of these areas allowed us to identify our particular Critical Success Factors that impact our ability to grow and ensure that every person on our team knows exactly what’s most important so we are able to fulfill our mission. Revisiting how we live our brand has strengthened and empowered us, and gives us renewed purpose, confidence and resilience to survive and thrive. And isn’t that what every leader, entrepreneur and business owner wants – vision, values, mission, aka as a brand, to become realized?

In the end, this gave me the gift of time almost standing still, which allowed time for reflection and renewed motivation. I no longer cringe at those three little words, in fact I am embracing it. Consider this a sneak peek to the launch of our new brand which we will share over the next few weeks. And if you have been soul searching and need support embracing “the new normal,” I invite you to reach out. We have the structure and expertise to help.

OUR NEW MISSION

Let us lead. Let us leverage our experience to guide a new set of ideas, articulate the unspoken, and focus a shifting mindset. We foster an environment that welcomes challenges. We create the structure needed to deliver repeatable and scalable results. We empower our clients with an authoritative voice and confidence to navigate the path to success. We help organizations innovate their brands and always prepare for what comes next. Our rigorous methodology answers not only the questions that are asked but also identifies any additional questions that need to be asked to ensure the best solution. Our success will always come from our relationship as an indispensable, strategic and creative think tank for our customers.