I responded to a courageous request by a delightful business owner to help her with her new cash flow problems, during this economic storm. Lisa Shock runs the Foxboro Family Medicine and Immediate Care Clinic. Her clinic takes anyone who wants medical care, regardless of insurance. She revealed how the Federal Government due to the Stimulus package activity is DELAYING her Medicare payments. In addition, more people are also coming to the clinic, and are paying slower. Her cash flow problems have been compounded. She was not only courageous enough to reveal her personal situation, but she also hit a nerve with many other business owners in the Make Mine A Million (M3) group.

Lisa

You are not alone. Your wonderful post has opened up a subject that is on many of our minds, so I thought I would discuss some things to think about to help you and others.

Having been through this sort of thing several times, some much worse, and having ended up better off than when I started, I found some things that have always helped me. I hope these help you and others as well.

1. Separate the factors you have control over from those you do not. List the factors that affect you that you have no control over, and create a way to monitor them, but do not worry about them. Just like the weather. You monitor and adjust to the weather, but you have no control over it.

2. You are not at fault. Try not to criticize or degrade yourself for the situation. There is nothing wrong with you. Things happen you cannot control or anticipate. You are not alone. Laughing at a perceived bad situation will quickly give you the new positive perspectives you want.

3. Focus on changing the conditions you do have control over. List everything you can change or influence for your benefit. Frankly, you will be astonished at what you really can influence or control. For example you have an extremely compelling story the press would jump at where the great “all giving government” is withholding funds to care for the needy. This could be used to pressure quicker and higher payments.

4. Think out of the box. These are unusual times and you will want to consider all sorts of things you would overlook when times were better. These times will take you out of your protective comfort zones. Focus on returning to your core purpose and principals for your business. Even consider pursuing other objectives you have been passionate about, but too busy or comfortable to think about. You might be surprised at the number of activities that you can perform that will benefit you and/or your business. Such freedom!

5. Ask for help. You will be amazed who will step up and help you. Unfortunately, you will also discover some people whom you thought would help who will not. Enjoy and respect your supporters. They are priceless, because they helped you when the chips were down.

6. These unusual times will not last. They never do. As bad as it might seem, it will improve. Just like the miserable cold winter storms will go away. Do what you can to weather the present storm.

7. Get into position to take advantage of the better times, when they return. They usually return faster and stronger than you will think. Demand for products and services are building, but are not being purchased yet. The build up will have to be met sometime. For example, the shock of the 9/11 attacks in 2001 brought much of the US to a standstill from September through December 2001. During January 2002 the built up demands caused a dramatic increase in business activity, almost overnight.