How a bold decision to pursue a semi-sabbatical expanded my business horizons through intentional action.

Author: Claire Angelle, an Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Accelerator participant in Atlanta, founded Angelle Consulting--a mission-driven PR and consulting company--in 2018.

Two years ago, my family was struck by a series of personal hardships. In the span of six months, I lost my father-in-law to Covid-19, and a colleague passed in violent circumstances while on the job. We welcomed a family member suffering from mental health issues into our home and had to say goodbye to our beloved family dog. While I shared the immediate lessons learned from those hardships on this platform -- especially regarding the importance of operational processes and efficiencies to keep the lights on -- the effects have been long felt both personally and professionally.

These events led to a profound reflection by my family on priorities. Quickly, it became apparent that we needed to slow down, mourn, heal, and reconnect as a unit. An idea emerged: We would move to the island of Martinique, in the Caribbean, for one year -- a place surrounded by beauty, with a slower pace of life, and the opportunity for my then 6-year-old to learn French, my native language. This new project excited the whole family! Yet, as the founder and CEO of a PR company, the prospect of leaving Atlanta, where most of our clientele reside, filled me with dread. After all, I'm in the relationship business! I couldn't imagine maintaining my business activity -- much less growing it -- thousands of miles from the U.S. 

I had a massive case of FOMO: What if my clients left? What if I couldn't bring new clients in? What if I couldn't nurture new and existing relationships with our main stakeholders in the media? The "what ifs" were endless. 

Yet I knew in my gut that my family needed this break more than anything, and on June 23, 2022, we left Atlanta with six suitcases. During the next 12 months, my son, Louis, became fluent in French. We snorkeled together, swam with sea turtles, camped on the beach, hiked in the tropical forest, discovered neighboring islands, and the list goes on. More important, our family bond grew stronger -- and my business registered its best year on record! 



We are now back in Atlanta with renewed joy and purpose. While reflecting on what helped make this adventure a business success, four tips emerged: 

1. Own your decision. Once my family decided to take this leap of faith, I didn't ask for clients' permission. It felt disingenuous to do so since I couldn't be swayed. I just moved forward. However, I did ensure that I had the resources onsite to work effectively (reliable internet, phone service, and mailing options) and that the quality of the firm's offering would not be impacted. Gratefully, most of our clients were getting increasingly comfortable with remote work settings. In fact, the transition was so smooth that it took months for people to notice that my tropical background during Zoom calls was not a filter!

2. Focus on quality and expansive communication. It's true that I was not available for impromptu coffee meetings or the networking events I typically attend. However, it came with certain benefits. First, it freed up my calendar, allowing me to work more efficiently and, therefore, to produce more results for clients. More important, since online communication was my only option, I learned to build genuine connections in a remote setting. I became more present, took my time, and now have friends and clients I've never -- or seldomly -- met in person, whom I feel deeply connected to. 

3. Bulk in-person meetings. While I know from experience that it's possible to build genuine connections remotely, nothing can fully replace in-person opportunities altogether. I made it a point to return to Atlanta now and then and maximized that time to meet with my team and all stakeholders at length.

4. Build an intentional, cross-promotional machine. As a B2B service-based company, most of our business comes from referrals. I took this time away to rethink how I was growing my business and became intentional about cross-promotional opportunities. I started building a network of complementary businesses with a similar buying persona to mine. To do so, I leveraged existing networks -- including EO -- and discovered new ones. The Referral Circle, launched by my friend Darrah Brustein, was one tool that fit perfectly with what I was looking for. Finally, this transition opened opportunities outside of Atlanta, as I was no longer limiting my sphere of influence to my local market.

What this adventure taught me is that fear is rarely grounded in reality. Before I took the plunge, I was prepared to see my business dwindle. What I didn't foresee was that my move would end up being a source of inspiration for clients, prospects, and partners alike. It became a source of connection, not distance. 

So, what is holding you back from following your dream? Invest the time to brainstorm concrete ways to overcome these fears and live your life by design. It's the ultimate act of entrepreneurial self-care.

EXPERT OPINION BY ENTREPRENEURS' ORGANIZATION@ENTREPRENEURORG

Self-Care for Entrepreneurs: Overcome FOMO and Live Your Life by Design | Inc.com