Flying Lessons
As entrepreneurs, we often describe building our business as “learning how to fly the plane while building it mid-air”.
It normalizes the feeling of chaos and uncertainty that comes from creating something from scratch.
It can also mask or disguise a business headed in the wrong direction.
For years, I operated with this mindset. There were knowledge gaps in my business, this was clear. When I wasn’t working with clients, I was learning about marketing, sales, and business strategy. I kept up-to-date on media trends - new and legacy.
But as long as I was mid-flight, I never gave myself the space to put these new learnings into action. I felt like I was always catching up and bringing the business up to speed.
In hindsight, I’m grateful for the economic shock of December 2024. When the reality of new tariffs wiped out nearly 90% of the business I had lined up for this year, I wasn’t just building the plane mid-air. I had lost control of the engine and was heading for a crash.
I could have quit. I know I always have that option. But something keeps pulling me back in.
I chose the second option: I brought the plane in for a landing and started to rebuild from scratch.
Here’s the thing - I didn’t start from the beginning. That’s the beautiful part about growth. It’s not a restart, but a recalibration. It’s zooming out to see the big picture, and then building from a place of knowing, not guessing.
If you’re feeling like you’re headed for a crash and need a moment to rebuild, here are the first tools I used to find my bearings and chart a new course:
I know we’re supposed to start with why, but there’s a key question that comes before it: Do I still want this? When I started McEwen Media, I didn’t have dreams of being an entrepreneur. I did have dreams of being in control over my creativity. I wanted autonomy over what I make and who I make it for. Ground yourself in what you desire and why.
What did I do right? We’re hard-wired to look for the negative and focus on the things we did wrong. This creates an idea hellscape that is impossible to escape. In TV I learned a better way to post-mortem a project: focus on what went well and do more of that. I have a stronger sense of my skills and what they can do for others than I did when I started this journey. I know my Zone of Genius and commit to staying there in all areas of my business.
Where can I add value? One fatal flaw in my business plan was thinking only of the problem I solve. As a creative person, I can fit my solution into any business - whether they need it or not. Marketing is a lot more complicated than that. I needed to move away from needs and wants, so I could focus on the clients where my work is necessary right now.
In exploring these key questions, I discovered the next best step was working in corporate communications for a major brand: an institution that is already in the news and needs to be good at it. Within four months I secured a full-time contract at one of Canada’s Big 5 banks doing just that.
And I continue to explore these ideas as I navigate the future of McEwen Media. Because while the full extent of my skills are necessary for major institutions, there’s still a part of my work and my brand that helps businesses of all sizes. It’s what lead me to formalize my approach to building a media strategy, and make it available to you here: Impact Media Strategy
That’s the beauty of Market Fit. It’s not just about getting bigger. It’s about getting clear on what you do, how you do it, and how it adds value to your target. Check out my recent conversation with Kristin Hartigan of Square Key Digital where we explore this exact idea. It could be the exact thing you need to hear so you can take off.