I just spent a few days with my Agency Management Institute crew—other agency leaders who know exactly what it feels like to captain a business in this weird, wild season we’re all in. If there were a support group for entrepreneurs holding it together with duct tape and dry shampoo, we’d be charter members.
It’s easy to lead when the waters are smooth. That’s when you’ve got your strategic plan color-coded, you’re sleeping 8 hours a night, and your Slack channel isn’t a fire drill. But right now? It’s choppy. The economy’s throwing elbows, talent is doing the tango, and AI feels like a magic trick and a threat, depending on which way the wind blows.
And yet—we’re still here, still in it. Still captaining.
When Calm Is a Distant Memory
There’s this version of leadership people love to talk about. The one where you’re collected and confident and somehow immune to the chaos around you. You’re supposed to “rise above it.” But here’s the thing: you can’t rise above something you’re in the thick of.
“This storm is the job,” I told someone after my third lukewarm coffee and fifteenth metaphor of the day. “It’s not a distraction from the work. It is the work.”
Growth Doesn’t Always Look Like a TED Talk
Sometimes, growth looks like staring into your P&L, wondering if your keyboard is crying with you. Or realizing your best team member is burned out, and you didn’t catch it in time. Or sitting in a meeting where everyone’s looking at you for answers—and all you’ve got is honesty and a dodgy Wi-Fi signal.
That’s leadership. Not the highlight reel. The human one.
I’ve learned to laugh when it’s hard, not because it’s funny, but because it reminds me I’m alive in it. Still here. Still learning. Still figuring it out.
This Is What Resilience Looks Like
You could be one who has thought, “I don’t know if I’m crushing it, but I know I care. Deeply. And I keep showing up.” That’s it. That’s the bar.
The storms don’t disqualify you. The fact that you’re navigating them with empathy and a little humor? That’s what qualifies you.
We may not have chosen these rough waters, but we’re learning how to sail in them. That matters more than showing up with a perfect plan. Honestly, I trust leaders more when they say “I don’t know, but I’ll figure it out” than when they pretend they’re bulletproof.
And If It All Goes Up in Flames...
I did bring marshmallows.
Because if the ship goes down, I want to be the one who at least made people laugh, stayed present, and showed up with snacks.
So if your business feels a little wobbly right now, you’re not failing. You’re just in the real part of leadership. It’s not shiny, but it is shaping you into the kind of leader who can handle what’s next.
Let’s keep showing up. Fire, waves, and all.
At StringCan, we work with leaders who aren’t afraid of the messy middle. If you’re navigating chaos and want a team that sees the big picture and the real world you’re living in—we’re here. Let’s build something steady in the storm.
Work Habits & Productivity
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As StringCan's Chief Operating Officer, Sarah is a solutionist who loves to implement and enhance efficiencies for herself and the team. She strives to support and help people be their best self in and outside of work. Sarah also gets her best ideas by lounging in a body of water. Cocktail is optional. But not really.
Jay, the CEO of StringCan, oversees strategy and vision, building culture that makes going into work something he looks forward to, recruiting additional awesome team members to help exceed clients goals, leading the team and allocating where StringCan invests time and money.
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