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Dear Oaklyn Consulting,
It feels like every headline I read is about economic uncertainty, and for small businesses like mine, it’s tough to know which way things are going. I sometimes feel paralyzed trying to decide whether now’s the time to think big or to take a defensive approach based on what might lie ahead. Are there any frameworks or checklists I can follow to make smarter decisions when the outlook is so unpredictable? How do I avoid regret if things don’t go the way I hope?
From Oaklyn Consulting
You’re far from alone in feeling overwhelmed by all the moving parts in today’s business climate. If there’s one thing we hear from client after client right now, it’s that 2025 feels unpredictable — and making big decisions when the outlook is cloudy is just plain hard.
In good times and bad, we work with business owners who are at a crossroads, and we’ve found that having a framework for working through high-stakes decisions can help make things less stressful and less subject to regret later on.
First, it helps to narrow your focus to a single question — such as “Should I refinance our debt this year, or hold off until conditions change?” Then, list your alternatives. Even if some options seem more difficult than others, writing them all down (everything from bold moves like pursuing a merger to more modest ones like renegotiating with vendors) can help spark creative solutions you might not have considered.
Identify your must-haves and trade-offs. What do you absolutely need? What would be nice to have, but isn’t essential? Being honest about your goals, such as protecting jobs or preserving cash flow, gives you an internal scorecard against which to compare alternatives.
For each option, think about what would happen if things go better than hoped, as expected or worse than hoped. Sometimes, seeing the range of possible outcomes, and the actions you could take in each scenario, makes the fear of regret more manageable.
Making big decisions is never comfortable. The reality is, nobody gets every call right, but process and preparation can help you sleep better at night. At Oaklyn Consulting, we’re always here to be a sounding board for our clients, asking thoughtful questions, uncovering blind spots and helping make decisions aligned with values and goals.
