Fires, Floods, Ammunition and Our Businesses
By Sarah Stokes
I was inspired to write about the perfect parallel between a breaking news situation and our growing businesses.
It’s all about fires, floods, and ammunition.
My first career was as a journalist, aka “a TV news lady” (I wasn’t more than 21 years old when I started, but everyone calls you a “news lady” when you’re out and about no matter how old you are :) ).
There is a huge similarity for business owners and fire chiefs. This “aha moment” occurred to me when I saw an old picture from the news scene. This whole breaking news situation is exactly like what life can be like as a business owner scaling to the next big level.
This is a photo of me covering what was someone’s absolute worst day. It was back in my days as a “news lady” in Fargo, North Dakota. What you might not be able to see clearly behind the sandbags is a home that first flooded in the massive rising of the Red River…then caught fire!
What?
Worst day ever for them.
For me, it was “go” time. I was rushing out there in my flood boots and had the scanner turned up full blast in the KVRR news car, bolting down the back roads to get around the floodwaters to be first on the scene.
The fire and flood would have been plenty that day…but nope. The universe had other plans for the first responders who had to figure out how to get to this house in the dangers of the floodwaters. Not fun.
But wait. There’s more.
The dispatcher’s voice on the scanner came through all the chaos with another urgent and even more chilling warning.
What gets more urgent than a flood and a fire at the same time?
The house, it turns out, had a bunch of ammunition inside. That ammunition stockpile literally pushed this situation over the edge. You could see the crowds forming around our cameras as firefighters were trying to figure out if they go for it or let it burn.
As business owners, these fires, floods, and bullets we may have to dodge come in an infinite number of ways. They are the payrolls we don’t know if we’ll be able to cover, the big client who just dropped, the employee who’s been blowing it day after day, the kiddos who asked why they can’t pack a lunch like Johnny that day and you’re the worst because you won’t buy them a Lunchable…and it’s only 10 a.m. at this point. You probably won’t have time for lunch or sleep, and forget the emails piling up with people pulling at you. Maybe you tossed and turned all night and feel a cold coming on, because it’s our body and soul letting us know it’s flooding and burning down.
You keep smiling, put on your strongest and most positive attitude, pull out your walkie talkie and get down to the business of stopping the flames.
Here’s the reality we all know:
As owners, we’re the ones making the calls for the whole group. Do we push forward and put out the fires, despite the continued floodwaters? When it gets to be too much and there’s now bullets being fired at us, do we pack it in let it burn? Good grief, sometimes it feels like it doesn’t end.
But then, you get the moments you’re in it for…I imagine what it must feel like to be the firefighter who saves the day. Mostly thankless, but when it’s good, it’s life-saving good. Like the little boy you saved and carried his puppy safely out the door, too.
The same goes for the big wins in your business. When it’s good, you are psyched up to go for another decade! You remember your “why” and the impact you’re making.
We fight little fires each day. As business owners we’re the fire chief who’s getting a microphone put in our face from a “news lady” who needs answers (she isn’t pushy, she’s from Minnesota don’t ya know and is real, real nice). As the leader, you understand those people on the “scene” just need to do their job. But, when you have that chief label on your fire helmet, all eyes and expectations are on you. When stuff is burning down, you better know how fix the situation.
The good news is, as you grow your team, you get more and more help. Pretty soon, you don’t even find out about the little fires! You have people and processes to get those handled.
After a bit, you even get good at prevention!
In fire departments, that’s helping homeowners learn to clear their dryer vents and install smoke detectors.
In business, it’s systems, processes, and finding the right people for the right seats.
From 17 years in the news business, I saw what being a chief in a tiny department was like (you were at every fire and absolutely beloved in your hometown, but absolutely stressed and stretched thin and probably had no one to lean on) and I witnessed what the scaled-up departments chiefs were like (they had time to go on vacation, did not have to put out fires anymore, and had time to do culture building, hiring, training, community projects, and prevention education).
I’m hoping you see the parallels. I was completely inspired to share this metaphor with you…and it gave me a small bit of adrenaline to think back to those news days.
But you know what?
I am so glad I don’t put out every fire anymore in our business. I’m so glad I am home with my kids at night and on the weekends (and really any day I want to be). We’ve got the systems, processes, and brilliant people in place so I can make the impact I’m here to make. I can nurture their growth, think big for our company and our clients, and be the wife/mom/community leader/friend I want to be.
I want to help you live your version of a juicy good life, too.
Will you come join me? We’ve got exciting things ready for you if you’re ready to scale with sanity.
We’ll pinpoint the patterns that are holding you back.
We’ll help you tune into your soul to find out what your next level really looks like.
Come discover your daily joy.
I can’t wait.
Love and light,
Sarah Stokes
Business Breakthrough Coach
The Founder of The Juicy Good Life
P.S.
Are you thinking I’d leave you hanging on the house flood/fire/live ammo story?
The firefighters got to the house, there were many loud explosions from the live ammo, but no one was hurt. The people in the house were a-ok. The house, not so much. Silver lining? Yep, there may have been even despite all this craziness! (I don’t have the post-game actual facts, so this is my recollection of what I heard happened…) The fire may have actually helped the homeowners get insurance money, where flooding as a cause of damage may not have been covered. The universe has funny ways of helping us even when all seems lost. I hope this offer of coming along with us to learn how to love your business helps you see the universe is trying to help you, too!
