Nothing prepared me for this (except, perhaps, the donkey)

Until recently, I had never posted much on social media, but I do love Facebook memories for the ‘moment in time’ reminders, whether a treasured moment or a poignant reminder of a challenging time. This photo popped up recently, and the caption was “Just a regular school day…” In fact, the donkey had become a regular feature at Christmas time. The previous year my post was about the carol service where I, as Director of Music, was attempting to maintain some semblance of order while leading 200 children singing "Sparkle & Shine" (with actions!) as a real-life donkey made its way up the aisle and how my two music degrees, teacher training, and countless hours of CPD had done absolutely nothing to prepare me for that moment.

Fast forward to today, and my life looks very different. If you'd told me a year - or even six months ago - that I'd be running my own business supporting creative arts and education entrepreneurs, I wouldn't have believed you.

The pivot I didn't plan

Life took an unexpected turn this year. After over two decades in education, I realised I needed far more flexibility than classroom teaching could allow. My family needed me to be present in ways that just weren't possible within the structure of school life.

So, I made a decision that felt both necessary and slightly terrifying: I left teaching and launched EmBe Works. There wasn't time to map out every detail or create the perfect five-year plan. I just had to leap.

When perfect becomes the enemy of done

When I started, my perfectionist instincts tried to take over; I wanted to plan every detail, anticipate every challenge, and avoid every possible mistake. But the reality of a sudden pivot meant I had to learn a new mantra: done is better than perfect. 

I launched my website quickly, knowing it wasn't "finished”; I came back and tweaked it later. No big deal. 

I sent my first proposal without agonising over every syllable. It was accepted.

I said yes to opportunities before I felt entirely ready. And somehow, it all worked out.

What the donkey taught me

Looking at that photo again, I realised something: perhaps my training did prepare me after all - just not in the ways I expected.

Teaching isn't just about delivering the curriculum. It's about thinking on your feet when the technology fails. It's about pivoting instantly when the lesson plan goes out the window. It's about maintaining calm, capable leadership when you're surrounded by livestock and excitable children.

Nothing in the textbooks fully prepared me for the reality of setting up my own business. But everything I have done up until now gave me the resilience, adaptability, and courage to navigate the unknown.

There are many quotes about bravery or courage not being the absence of fear. Whatever the specific words and whoever they’re attributed to, the sentiment is the same: bravery is feeling the fear and doing it anyway.

To anyone navigating their own pivot

If you're a business owner navigating your own unexpected change, or just trying to keep everything together at this particular moment: I see you.

We plan for what we can. We prepare as much as possible. And for everything else? We just handle the donkey in the room.

Here's to the pivots we didn't see coming, and the skills we didn't know we had!

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Need help taming the chaos in your own business? I can’t promise donkeys, but I’d love to chat! Contact me to tell me all about your plans.