Everything is figure-out-able

On Monday morning I woke up and immediately wanted to crawl under the covers and hide from the week. Due to a series of fairly normal but frustrating events, it became clear we wouldn't launch a large, very visible project in time for a critical client meeting. I love working with this client, so having to deliver this news felt awful. Most of the issues were out of my control, but that didn't make it any less painful.

For a minute I let my brain spiral. What if they don't renew my contract? What if they don't pay my invoice? None of these thoughts were rational, but there they were. Luckily I've been through this enough to know I'd make it to the other side. After my pity party, I knew there was just one thing to do: tell them and collaborate on a plan B.

We all hit roadblocks that feel like business-ending disasters. A missed deadline. A late client payment that means you can't pay your contractors on time. Uncertainty about whether your biggest client will renew. After years of hitting these walls, I've learned there's almost always a way through. And the first step is almost always the same: communication.

After years of hitting these walls, I've learned that there's almost always a way through. And the first step is almost always the same: communication.

When you see trouble coming, get ahead of it fast. Don't wait. Don't hope it'll work itself out. Pick up the phone.

• Can't make that vendor payment? Call them. Explain what's happening. Ask if you can pay in installments or push the date back two weeks. Most people would rather work with you than chase you down.

• That feature you promised won't ship on time? Turn the delay into content. Share what you learned during development. Show the extra testing you're doing. People appreciate transparency more than perfection.

• Client deliverable running late? Tell them today, not the day before it's due. Work together to figure out what matters most. Maybe you can deliver the core functionality on time and add the bells and whistles later. Give them time to adjust their plans.

None of these situations are fun. But they're also not fatal.

This is why relationships matter more than anything else in business. When you consistently do what you say you'll do, people give you the benefit of the doubt when things go sideways. They know you're not trying to dodge responsibility or make excuses.

Building Your Safety Net

Of course, the best crisis is the one that never happens. Here's how to set yourself up so these situations are less likely to crush you.

Build an emergency savings account. I know this sounds impossible when you're already scraping for resources. But look at your expenses with fresh eyes. That fancy tool you have a subscription for, but barely use? Cancel it for three months (you might find that you don’t actually need it). That consulting project that's dragging on forever? Put in a few long days, wrap it up and focus on work that pays faster. Even a small buffer changes everything. When you have two months of expenses saved, a late payment becomes an inconvenience instead of a disaster.

When you're falling behind on deliverables, get help before you're drowning. Hire a virtual assistant to handle your email and scheduling. Bring in a project manager to keep things on track. Look at your task list and ask yourself what actually needs to get done this week versus what you want to do. Cut the nice-to-haves and focus on what moves the needle.

What are you struggling with this week?

Now it's your turn. Reply and tell me what's on your plate this week that feels overwhelming. Sometimes just naming the problem out loud makes it easier to figure out.

Carrie