maybe pivoting isn't the answer. [170]

Before You Pivot, Invite What if the thing that feels like it isn’t working anymore… isn’t actually broken? When numbers drop, engagement gets quieter, or something that used to work starts to feel different, our entrepreneurial instinct is often to change it. New offer. New messaging. New strategy. New plan. But before you pivot, there’s another question worth asking: What was I doing when this worked that I’m no longer doing? In this episode of Tena Talks, I’m sharing a simple story about my husband’s Sunday morning hiking group—and what happened when a group that had dwindled to just two people received something incredibly simple the following week: A personal invitation. More than a dozen guys showed up. Same hike. Same time. Same place. The difference was the invitation. We’re talking about how quickly we can turn one disappointing result into a conclusion, what happens when we accidentally automate the human parts out of our businesses, and why some of the things that feel too simple to count might actually be our biggest advantages. Because sometimes the thing you’re trying to replace with a strategy is actually one of your Cheat Codes. Why quiet doesn’t automatically mean something has stopped working The difference between information and a conclusion Why it’s worth looking at what you were doing when something worked well How automation and scalability can unintentionally remove the human part of business The power of a personal invitation Why the things that come most naturally to you are often the easiest to overlook How those natural behaviors can point directly to your Cheat Codes Three questions to ask before you pivot One simple action you can take this week I reference a recent message from Pastor Sten Carlson at Midcurrent Church in this episode—especially his thoughts around making people feel personally seen. Watch the Midcurrent Church sermon on YouTube Some of the things that come most naturally to you may be the exact things you’ve stopped recognizing as an advantage. Use the Cheat Code Bot to start uncovering the patterns, instincts, experiences, and ways of working that make you uniquely effective. Get the Cheat Code Bot at TenaPettis.com Choose one thing in your business that has gotten quieter—but that you still believe has value. Then think of one person who would genuinely benefit from it. Send the text. Send the email. Send the DM. Tell them you thought of them. Invite them. Because before you assume the thing has stopped working, it might be worth asking whether you simply stopped doing the things that helped it work. Don’t confuse “I stopped working it” with “it stopped working.” And before you pivot… Invite. In This EpisodeLinks + ResourcesMidcurrent Church — Pastor Sten CarlsonFind Your Cheat CodesOne Thing to Try This Week