From "Killin' it" to "Kill Me Now": My Business Pivot

From "Killin' It" to "Kill Me Now": My COVID Pivot

So there I was—six months after moving across the country, college-aged kiddo and his buddies in tow, taking on big automotive clients and feeling pretty damn smug about my life choices. My company was strutting its stuff in the automotive/powersports/motorsports space, and I was, quite frankly, crushing it.

Then COVID hit.

And just like that, my revenue went from "killin' it" to "kill me now" literally overnight.

When the Apocalypse Hits, Pivot or Perish

Let's be real—I had people to support, a roof to keep over our heads, and those pesky "eating food" requirements that humans seem to have. Meanwhile, the marketing and PR world collectively slammed on the brakes. No one was spending money on anything fun or creative because, you know, apocalypse vibes.

The entire world shifted into survival mode, and there I was, staring at my empty calendar like it was a horror movie.

My Secret Superpower: Stalking Facebook Groups

So I did what I always do when my back's against the wall: I paid attention to human behavior. Not companies—people. What were they freaking out about? What were they losing sleep over? What problems did they have that I could potentially solve?

I dove headfirst into Facebook groups and started obsessively scrolling (for research purposes, obviously).

Here's where I need to mention that living in Los Angeles during COVID was... intense. While my family back in the Midwest kept telling me that life there was proceeding with only mild adjustments, I was experiencing an alternate reality where people were genuinely terrified to leave their homes. Everything was closed except grocery stores, and eventually restaurants with drive-thru or curbside pickup.

The Lightbulb Moment (Thanks, Trader Joe's!)

After hours of creeping through Facebook groups (no judgment, please), I noticed something. A recurring theme all over LA: people desperately looking for someone—ANYONE—to shop and deliver their groceries from Trader Joe's.

Why? Because Trader Joe's wasn't on Instacart or any other delivery apps.

I thought, "I can do this."

When I told my boyfriend at the time, he gave me that special look reserved for people who've just suggested eating soup with a fork. "This is the dumbest idea you've ever had," he informed me. "Why would people pay you MORE than Instacart fees? How will you make money?"

Mkay, punkin'. Just watch!

From Idea to Launch in 48 Hours Flat

I built a mobile app and website within 48 hours (sleep is overrated), established a brand called "Yep! We Can Do That, a Concierge Service," ordered branded aprons and baseball caps from my screenprinter cousin, and started posting in those same Facebook groups.

The result? Within a month, I had 300 customers. THREE HUNDRED.

Not only was I able to give gigs to my son and his buddies (whose colleges were shut down), but I also hired friends from the entertainment industry who were suddenly out of work.

We spent eight hours a day, EVERY DAY, shopping Trader Joe's stores all over the city. We were bringing in more money than I had been making running my agency.

BOOM. Eat your words, boyfriend!

Why It Worked When It Shouldn't Have

Here's the thing—we weren't just shopping at Trader Joe's. We expanded to several grocery stores, even ones that were serviced by Instacart and other national platforms. And customers were happily paying premium prices for what we offered: legitimate concierge-level service.

We formed a relationship with a locally owned grocer and got the hookup on toilet paper and sanitizer (which, if you remember, was basically like having access to gold bars at the time). We'd send out mass texts when we scored these items, and people would claim them instantly.

If customers were looking for specific items, we'd keep an eye out and grab them when spotted. That locally owned grocer eventually signed a deal with us to be their exclusive delivery service.

And since the city was a ghost town, we could get anywhere in about 30 minutes. No traffic in LA? That alone was worth the price of admission.

All Good Things...

Many months into COVID, we ended up leaving LA because the restrictions were still intense. We visited friends in Las Vegas, where people could—gasp—go out to eat in restaurants! Shocking, I know.

When we moved, I handed the company over to a retired woman who had been shopping with us. She kept it going but focused more on elderly clients.

The Duck-on-Water Principle

Here's what I want you to take away from this whole adventure: Yes, I was in full-on panic mode when everything shut down and clients dropped contracts. I was responsible for the livelihood of many people and had no idea what I was going to do.

But what I wasn't going to do was throw myself a pity party. That wouldn't solve anything.

I was like a duck on water—on the inside, I was freaking out, legs paddling frantically, looking for an answer. On the outside? Cool, calm, and collected.

The Moral of This Ridiculous Story

When the world goes sideways:

• Pay attention to what people actually need, not what you've always offered
• Move fast—don't overthink it
• Be willing to do things that seem "beneath" your professional status
• Listen to your gut, not your doubting fiancé (yes, the same guy - he came around!)

Sometimes the most successful pivots don't look anything like your original business. And sometimes, the skills you've built over years of professional work translate perfectly to something seemingly unrelated—like building customer relationships, problem-solving, and creating systems.

So the next time disaster strikes (and it will), remember: there's always a need to fill. You just have to be willing to look for it, even if it means stalking Facebook groups for hours on end.

And who knows? Your emergency pivot might just outperform your carefully planned business strategy.