Hi Lisa,

Thanks for your patience while waiting for a response – and for sharing your story.  The fact that you’ve maintained your business and retained clients while navigating both a cancer diagnosis and treatment as well as broader shifts in the economy and the world of work speaks not only to the value you provide as a professional, but to your resilience. It also sounds like you’re asking some good questions about what comes next, including reflecting on how you might start doing some keynote speaking as a way of engaging in work that feels meaningful to you.

I’ve passed your question on to one of our career coaches to get their insights. In the meantime, here are a few questions you might consider as you think through your options:

- What are your current financial needs? Is your priority generating more income in a year that has been “very slow so far,” or are you in a position to spend time focusing on a new direction even if it takes time to generate revenue? Keep in mind, this may not have to be an either/or decision. For example, you might choose to focus primarily on rebuilding your client pipeline over the next few months and exploring keynote speaking opportunities later in the year. Or you may find you have the bandwidth to pursue both at the same time.

- How much time do you have available and/or want to spend on work each week? For some, ongoing side treatment effects or doctor appointments continue to impact their schedules for a long time after treatment ends. Beyond work, there are often other priorities such as family, friends, hobbies, etc. are important and require dedicated time. Thinking about how much time and energy you realistically have available specifically for work may help clarify your approach.

- Are there other sole proprietors in your network who have faced similar challenges? Having a sense of the specific steps involved in navigating the new SEO landscape or launching yourself as a keynote speaker might be able to give you a better sense of what each one requires so you an map out what is doable either right now and/or down the line. Talking to others may also help you identify opportunities or challenges you hadn’t yet considered.

Ultimately, the decision of whether it is wise to focus on taking a new direction or finding new clients is one only you can make. Hopefully, these questions give you a useful framework for thinking through your options while waiting for our career coach's perspective. Wishing you all the best!