by Thembe Khumalo

When you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, about working in the digital economy, about monetizing your knowledge, and you want to show other people that they don’t need to be afraid, it can be very tempting to present the whole endeavor as something that’s easy and fun and exciting. Well, it is all those things. But, like any worthwhile pursuit, it does have its dark moments — and in 2018, I had two of them.

The first client who fired us was a personal branding client. We did some preliminary work on his brand, and he didn’t like what our digital audit told him. He also didn’t like how we had bench-marked him based on his goals for the project, and he didn't like the approach we were taking with his brand assets. Ultimately, I guess, he just didn’t like us! And so, he sent us on our way. We put it down to bad chemistry and carried on with our lives.

When the second client fired us after we’d already done a whole host of work, and been paid for it, that was a little more sobering. We knew we needed to do a little bit of introspection to establish what exactly was going on, and that's the first lesson I would share about what I learnt that year:

1. Start by checking if you are the problem

‘Was it something I said, or didn’t say…? Something I did, or didn’t do? Those are the first questions I have learnt to ask when things go wrong between me and a client, or even a team member or supplier. Checking yourself first gives you time to pause and consider the role you may have played in the fallout. It isn’t fun and it isn't easy, but it can help you gain some perspective on matters that might otherwise be too close for you to see clearly. You also reduce the risk of going out guns blazing and blaming everyone else, when in fact you are the problem.

2. Understand that this is not your whole identity

It can be tempting, especially when you work alone, to allow an unpleasant incident to completely consume you to the point where you start to really doubt yourself. Remember this is something that has happened, and it does not need to be a defining moment for your character or your business. Don’t allow it to take an emotional toll on you, because it is just one of many things that happen in business — some good, some not so good. The sooner you learn to take it in your stride and still be who you are, the better prepared you will be when hard luck strikes again.

3. Diversify Your Client Base

When these two incidents took place, I understood the importance of having a diverse client base. I saw how quickly and suddenly a client whose revenues you have planned around can disappear; and if you don’t have other clients you can rely on to bridge the gap, things can become very difficult indeed. Diversifying your client base is important not just in the event of a client letting you go, but also because of the possibility of other eventualities that may be beyond your control. As a pan-African consulting firm, we work with clients from all over the continent. Supposing we concentrated our risk in one geographic territory and that suddenly became unavailable to us? We would be in deep trouble.

4. Foster a Culture of Learning from Failure

At our firm, team members know that there is freedom to fail. This means that when you make a mistake you don’t cease to be a smart and valuable asset; you don’t lose any of your privileges, and you don’t face silent treatment or other forms of ostracization. You remain the same beloved person, who is just a little wiser for having failed at something.

We talked about the clients that had fired us — we asked each other tough questions, we reflected on our individual capacities, and we made peace with the losses we endured. We also committed to learning from our mistakes.

5. Don’t Dwell in the Painful Place

Sometimes when you make a big mistake it feels like you have slipped and fallen into a pile of fresh cow dung. You feel bad because you look bad and smell bad. Your feelings of self-worth can be so badly damaged that it's tempting to just sit in that poop and let it envelop you completely. The thought of rising up, cleaning yourself off, and starting over seems like a monumentally difficult task, but it needs to be done. Don't stew in your own error. Don't let one mistake or loss (or even two in this case) define you or dictate how you move on. You are more than your mistakes and failures, and after your initial reflection, leave those painful experiences behind so they don't continue to trip up your confidence.

6. Pursue a Powerful Turnaround

One of the most motivating things you can do after a major fail is to find yourself a big meaty project to sink your teeth into. It will stimulate your energy, give you something new to focus on, and help your team rally around a new and exciting focal point. If there isn't a prospect in the works that you can leverage for this, create a project. Plan a conference, or webinar, or VIP Day for your clients. Dig deep into your creativity to see what can give you an opportunity to shine — not just for the sake of your clients, but also for yourself and your team. A strong comeback inspires courage and confidence.

7. Separate the Event from the People Involved

In the wake of losing a client, it's vital to distinguish between the event and the people involved. Even if you can no longer have the business, try to at least salvage the relationship. So much of business is about who you know, and if you can part on good terms — without calling each other names, without a shouting match, without ugly exchanges — then you not only feel better, but you keep the door open for further opportunities in the future. While you may have decided that you never want this person as your client again (they hurt you, so it's understandable) you may still find them useful for an introduction, a connection to a supplier, or a social contact for your child. Never underestimate the value of good relationships.

There is a saying that he who never made a mistake never made anything, so don't let the loss of one client or opportunity be the end of your effort or your self-esteem. Get up, dust yourself off, and head towards something magical. You’ll be so glad you did.

Thembe Khumalo is one of Zimbabwe’s leading voices when it comes to brand-building, business growth and personal development. A winner of multiple awards both at home and in the region, she is the founder and Managing Director of Brandbuilder, a high-performance brand strategy firm that helps entrepreneurial leaders and SMEs achieve visibility and growth through comprehensive brand strategy, creative execution and social media content strategies. Known for her clarity and courage, Thembe Khumalo’s leadership track record includes board positions in listed, unlisted and not-for-profit entities. With more than 20 years in the media and communication industry, she delivers a network of high-level relationships across many industries in several African countries. | thembekhumalo.com | www.brandtobuild.co | askus@brandtobuild.co