Positivity builds immunity!

Have you taken a moment to pause, reflect (not panic) and really think proactively about all the opportunities that will emerge 'post-virus? There is no doubt, the world will be a very different place and it has already been well documented the positive impact the virus has played on improving the health of the planet.

Please do not take this wrong way, it is heart-wrenching to witness the deadly impact the virus is having on the worlds population and seismic disruption to the economy.

BUT... in my mind you simply have 2 choices. You can either;

1) fill your boots with anxiety, stress out and have a negative attitude to life and the world as a whole.

OR

2) be positive and take a proactive approach to the 'new world' we are living. After all it has been scientifically proven...positivity builds immunity!

You now have the time to get stuck in to all those things you never got round to doing...whether it be learning a new skill, instrument or completely resetting and reinventing.

Wipe the slate clean and start something new!

Reset and Reinvent Daniel Priestley, (fantastic inspiration for any established or aspiring entrepreneur) quotes in an article for Entrepreneur.com "After the 2008 financial crisis, we saw the birth of dozens and dozens of brand new multi-billion dollar businesses (Instagram, WhatsApp, Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox, Slack, etc.). All of them were started by young people who probably would have gotten jobs at PwC or some established bank if not for the the previous recession. We will see this sort of activity again in the 2020s, because recessions can also lead to reinventions. Companies that try to stay the same get chewed up and spat out (Blockbuster, Toys "R" Us, Phones4U), whereas companies that reinvent themselves do well (Netflix, Disney, Apple, Microsoft). In many cases, small, nimble business become the bright sparks that fly high after a recession. Will you cling to how you did business in the 2010s or will you use this time to transform into an even better version of your vision mission and values? Whatever business you have today will look different on the other side of this event". For anyone small startup or 'wannapreneur' worried about taking the leap of faith into the unknown...now is a good a time, as any, to do so. There are many other capable individuals, in a similar situation, and people are looking for innovative ways to save money, time or stress. AND remember....social distancing is physical distancing. Keep TALKING TO PEOPLE and embrace your network. The Time is NOW It might be a case of you simply do not have a choice....we all have bills to pay and if you have lost a job ....starting a new company is the only way you see viable to make a living. As the saying goes, the hardest step to take is the first one. But there are opportunities out there to support you on your journey. If you have an idea but no team. I would suggest taking part in a Hackathon. (I have just had the awesome experience of mentoring in a recent HackTheCrisis Hackathon). Getting involved in such initiatives is a full-on but extremely rewarding...it also proves how much shit you can get done in just 48 hours! If you already have a startup and needing to take it to the next level. There are many accelerator programmes you could apply for.

iSTAQ Accelerating to Product Market Fit I would recommend Overkill Ventures. iSTAQ have just graduated from the programme and what we liked most about it, is the fact that the Overkill team hit the perfect balance between mentoring and letting you find your own way. We were given the freedom to learn by doing (ie make your own fuckups), which most entrepreneurs would say is the only way to grow. Many accelerator programmes are so mentor heavy that you spend all your time in the classroom and very little time actually getting your hands dirty building stuff or front facing speaking to customers. Overkill's team David, Peter, Dmitry , Krists and Arta have engineered a programme that seems to hit the sweet spot in this respect. The number one priority; to find product market fit as quickly as possible. In our case, we were a bit slower to get to this stage than initially hoped for, simply due to the product mutating considerably (many fuckups aka lessons) during the acceleration process. However, I am pleased to say, we have now got to a stage where we are focused on making a dent in the meeting productivity sector. iSTAQ is your decision-making, time saving, procrastination killing machine! The mentors Overkill invited to consult with us were top class and I am in still in touch with many of them as iSTAQ continues on its very own journey though the woods. And on another positive note...many of these mentors have more time to talk and share their knowledge during these days or reflection :) Make the most of it!!! With your own intuition, drive and positive attitude combined with their guidance and experience you slowly begin to the see light between trees! Thank you for reading...remember we are all in some pretty dark woods at the moment. It takes courage to go looking for the path out of them..GO FOR IT ....take a walk on the wild side!! Good luck, stay healthy, keep smiling and enjoy your the journey...you never know where it will