3 Strategies to Be More Successful in Uncertain Times
Summary: Your inbox dings—another client is postponing a project. Your numbers aren’t where they should be. The market is shifting again. Should you wait it out or make a move?
For business owners, uncertainty has become the new normal. The economy, technology, and even customer behaviors are shifting at a pace that’s hard to keep up with. Plans crumble, markets evolve, and the usual rules no longer apply.
Yet, uncertainty doesn’t have to mean stagnation or failure. History shows us that some of the most iconic businesses—Airbnb, Slack, and even Microsoft—were built during turbulent times. Why? Because their leaders saw challenges as opportunities to solve problems, deliver value, and redefine their industries.
What if you could do the same?
Uncertainty Creates Opportunity
When the world feels unstable, opportunities don’t disappear—they change shape. Businesses that thrive in these environments are not lucky but prepared. They act while others hesitate.
Take Lisa, for instance. She built a successful event-planning business, securing high-end corporate clients and curating large-scale events. Then, the market shifted. In-person events were scaled back, and companies slashed travel and entertainment budgets. Contracts that once felt secure were suddenly uncertain.
At first, Lisa held out hope that things would return to normal. But as she watched her calendar empty out, she realized she had two choices: wait or adapt.
One evening, she sat at her desk, reviewing her client list. What did they need now? They still wanted high-value experiences, but logistics had changed. Could she deliver those virtually?
She decided to take a chance. Lisa pitched a new concept—interactive virtual workshops. She tailored them to her clients' needs, incorporating networking elements, expert speakers, and immersive engagement strategies. The response was immediate. Clients who had been hesitant to commit to in-person events embraced the idea. Within months, Lisa had successfully transformed her business model.
Instead of struggling to survive, she created a scalable, high-margin service that stabilized her revenue and positioned her business as a leader in virtual event experiences.
What holds others back during such times? Often, it’s the hesitation to act. Distrusting instincts can lead to second-guessing while overanalyzing decisions delays action. Both traps prevent entrepreneurs from recognizing and seizing opportunities.
Moving forward with calculated risks, even imperfect ones, creates success.
Uncertainty Today: A Constantly Shifting Landscape
The nature of uncertainty changes over time, but it never disappears. Today, business owners grapple with economic fluctuations, labor shortages, supply chain instability, and shifting regulations like tariffs. A challenge that dominates headlines today may fade in six months, only to be replaced by something new.
This unpredictability makes it tempting to stay in a holding pattern, waiting for more clarity before making a move. But thriving businesses don’t wait for perfect conditions; they adapt, innovate, and act. Instead of focusing on the unknowns, successful entrepreneurs concentrate on what they can control: their strategy, flexibility, and ability to execute decisively.
Three Steps to Thrive Amid Uncertainty
Step 1: Assess the Landscape
Uncertainty comes in many forms, and understanding the level of unpredictability you face is essential. Some situations allow for calculated strategies, while others demand real-time innovation. Start with assessing where you are in the "four levels of uncertainty":
- Known Variables: A stable and predictable environment where market conditions, customer behaviors, and business operations follow established patterns. Proven strategies and historical data provide reliable guidance.
- Predictable Unknowns: A situation with multiple possible outcomes but where research, analysis, and planning can reduce uncertainty. While some factors remain unclear, trends, forecasts, and testing can provide valuable insights.
- High Ambiguity: An environment with unclear outcomes due to limited precedent or fluctuating conditions. Decision-making relies on experimentation, adaptability, and incremental learning rather than historical data.
- Uncharted Territory: A rapidly evolving landscape without clear rules, historical data, or established best practices. Success depends on agility, fast iteration, and the ability to pivot based on real-time insights.
A Local Bakery’s Self-Assessment of The Four Levels of Uncertainty
As people go out to shop, they would often stop by a local bakery. The bakery had years of experience and thrived on foot traffic and in-store sales. Their morning rush was predictable, and they had loyal customers.
But suddenly, sales began slipping. Ingredient costs soared. Fewer people stopped in. Profits shrank. The old way of doing business was no longer working.
They had a choice: wait and hope customers returned or adjust. Instead of panicking, they assessed their position in the times of uncertainty:
- Known variables: They still had a loyal customer base.
- Predictable unknowns: If they introduced online ordering, how many customers would use it?
- High ambiguity: Would customers embrace a delivery or subscription model?
- Uncharted territory: Should they expand into corporate catering, an area they had never explored?
They started small—offering pre-order pickups and experimenting with local delivery. Then, they tested a subscription-based model for specialty baked goods
By addressing these uncertainties in stages, the bakery was able to see what worked and stabilize its revenue to create a scalable, profitable model that continues to thrive.
Step 2: Choose Your Strategy
Now that you’ve assessed your landscape, it’s time to move. Is it time to pivot and pursue something new? Should you optimize what’s already working? Or is now the moment to preserve and strengthen your foundation?
Pivot: Overhaul your business model to tackle emerging opportunities. A high-end restaurant saw its foot traffic decline. Instead of waiting, they launched curated meal kits with online cooking classes. Customers stayed engaged, and the restaurant found a new revenue stream.
Adapt: Refine and optimize existing operations to stay relevant. A boutique gym noticed members weren’t returning in person. They expanded virtual personal training and on-demand classes, keeping existing clients while attracting new ones outside their local area.
Preserve: Conserve resources and focus on core offerings while preparing for future stability.
An event planning company had been considering expanding to a new city. Instead, they strengthened relationships with existing clients, offering VIP experiences, tailored event packages, and long-term partnership agreements.
Client retention increased, and repeat bookings grew.
Each strategy works best when aligned with your current strengths and long-term goals. Choosing the right path ensures you’re not just reacting to challenges but creating a foundation for sustainable growth and success.
Step 3: Act with Purpose
The best strategy in the world means nothing without action. How often have you seen businesses hesitate, waiting for the "right time," only to fall behind?
Two business owners faced the same challenge: rising costs and shrinking profits.
One hesitated, waiting for more stability. The other took decisive action—raising prices, renegotiating supplier contracts, and investing in marketing.
One year later, the first business was still struggling, trapped in the same cycle of uncertainty. The second? Thriving.
The difference was action. Right now, you’re standing at a crossroads. Will you act—or will you wait and hope
Consider these three approaches:
- Go Big: Commit significant resources to a high-potential opportunity. A tech startup saw an untapped market and invested heavily in launching a new product. The risk was high, but so was the reward—and they secured early market dominance.
- Best Bet: Focus on actions that balance high rewards with manageable risks. A small retail business expanded its online offerings while keeping its core storefront. This allowed them to grow without overextending themselves.
- No-Regret Moves: Invest in universally beneficial steps that strengthen your business. A manufacturer streamlined its supply chain, reducing costs and improving efficiency—moves that improved profitability regardless of external conditions
Execution turns ideas into measurable results. Businesses that act decisively separate themselves from those that hesitate and falter.
Building Resilience for Long-Term Success
Thriving in uncertain times can involve short-term fixes— but more importantly, it demands resilience. Resilient businesses don’t just react; they evolve. This means investing in tools and technologies that streamline operations, uncover inefficiencies, and provide actionable insights to navigate challenges effectively. It means rethinking their actions and seeing if they should pivot. It requires action to make a change.
Equally important is nurturing strong relationships with clients, employees, and partners. Trust and collaboration create a foundation of strength that allows businesses to adapt to uncertainty and seize new opportunities.
Agility transforms resilience into a competitive advantage. Businesses that embrace change, adapt to new information, and pivot when needed don’t just survive—they position themselves to lead and grow in constantly evolving markets.
Resilience isn’t built overnight, but every deliberate action strengthens your foundation, preparing your business to thrive regardless of the future.
Turning Uncertainty Into Opportunity
The road ahead may feel unpredictable, but that’s where the opportunity lies as you strategize and navigate through uncertainty. By understanding your environment, crafting a clear strategy, and taking decisive action, you can position your business to emerge stronger than ever.
What’s one bold move you can take to turn uncertainty into opportunity? Share your story in the comments or when you repost this—your insight might inspire someone else to take their next big leap.
ABOUT
Leslie Hassler
Leslie Hassler is a dynamic author, speaker, and business strategist who helps business owners create predictable profits to grow and scale—without burnout.
As the founder of Your Biz Rules, a fractional C-suite firm, Leslie and her team provide hands-on leadership and strategy to help businesses achieve sustainable growth while regaining time and freedom.
Her expertise has been showcased on hundreds of stages across the U.S., and she is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur.com and Business.com. Leslie is the author of the bestselling First This, Then That and the upcoming Scaling Rich .
Beyond her work, Leslie is a mother of two boys, an avid traveler, a Past President of NAWBO DFW, and an alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program. Leslie is WBENC, HUB, and AI Mastery Certified.