The Newsletter, Issue #96
September 9th, 2026

The anticipation of change

Hi Reader,

Out of everything happening recently, the crazy weather that we've been experiencing here in Ontario, it is the thing I need to be anything but consistent.

My 11-year-old daughter would say it "gives her lowkey anxiety," always with a bit of exaggeration 😅

I've noticed the weather has been different lately. Usually, at this time of year, we still have warm summer weather. Instead, it's rain, falling temperatures, jackets needed.

I'm naturally upset about it, especially after reading that this winter is predicted to be one of Ontario's worst.

I can already hear you thinking, you're in Canada, you should be used to the cold by now.

It's not the cold itself. It's the anticipation of a brutal winter versus just a regular, expected cold one.

And honestly, isn't that what we're mostly about? We hate the idea of what change might bring.

Being in control is probably a common denominator for a lot of us in business.

We know change is coming. Sometimes we're the ones causing it. But we also carry a lot of negative anticipation about what that change might mean.

I don't know about you, but I'm the type who plays out every scenario of what could go wrong, even with zero evidence that anything will.

Some call it self-sabotage. Others call it imposter syndrome. But why do we actually do this?

Change-specific stress is well documented.

Shifts in economic policy, geopolitical and market volatility, ownership uncertainty, these are among the most common stressors for business owners.

And when the change is out of our control, we tend to freeze. Analysis paralysis kicks in, because we don't know where to start or what impact we could even make.

Here's what actually helps me move through that freeze. I can't predict whether the coming change will be good or bad, or how big it'll be. But, I can control how I show up around it, especially in how I communicate and manage my reputation.

So instead of spiraling into everything I can't control, I bring myself back to two questions I ask on repeat.

COMMUNICATION ALIGNMENT

Is everything in my communications strategy, my content plan, publicity plan, speaking plan, actually working toward my business goal? When you communicate intentionally across every platform and space, your presence gets sharper, not louder. It builds trust, nurtures connection, and solidifies your name. That's when your reputation stops being a side effect and becomes an actual tool driving growth.

SYSTEMS CHECK

Are your systems aligned with your customer's actual journey? At every milestone, are they getting a smooth experience with you and your business?

I ask myself this constantly, because your customer keeps evolving, whether you like it or not. Their buying decisions shift. Their discernment changes based on what they need in that moment.

Your business grows and matures, and so do you as the owner. Sometimes your business outgrows the client it used to serve, and now you need to attract a different one. This happens constantly with service providers.

Try running just one of these two checks today. Not everything at once, just one honest look at either your communications or your systems.

Deal Reader?

Hit "reply" and let me know if this email was helpful today. Are you going to try one of these?

Till my next email, keep making waves. You've got this!

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PS: My resource page is updated regularly with different tools that can help you build a reputation that actually positively impacts your business. Check it out here.

PPS: If you want to go deeper on this, and much more, here are different ways to Work With Me.