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How Crisis Coaching Can Keep A Startup On Course

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This article is more than 3 years old.

Guest article by Eleanor Haglund

New year, new outlook on your venture? Not necessarily.

Just because the calendar hit January 1st doesn’t mean your startup’s crises will magically disappear. Unlike “Dry January,” or resolutions to hit the gym in the new year, solving stagnating sales or low retention within your startup won’t simply be a thirty-day sprint.    

Working with a crisis coach “is all about getting away from chaos,” says Adam Paulisick, serial entrepreneur, Executive Coach at Aspire360, and adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. While we point the finger at that one big issue, there are more problems under the surface than we expected. Here are 4 ways coaching can help a founder get past crisis-mode and onto building a better business. 

Stick Close to Founding Principles

There were multiple times where AI and machine learning compliance company Rebric was days away from running out of payroll, remembers founder and CEO Chris Oltyan. The company needed to make a change, and fast, but Oltyan wasn’t in the practice of taking just any paying customer. 

Keeping his cool, he let his next choices be guided by the company’s core beliefs (with the help of his coach and mentor circle), something he urges other founders he mentors to do. While Rebric was initially founded to aid in the HR space, changing customer needs, and market fit nudged the team towards different audiences. 


AI and machine learning compliance company Rebric was days away from running out of payroll


When founders consider pivots or bold moves to save a company, they shouldn’t forget the core beliefs that brought them there. The company audience or offering might look dramatically different once the crisis has passed, but are the foundational values still in place? 

“Making better decisions through data is our core fundamental belief which we hold here,” says Oltyan. “If I had to change that, then absolutely it would not be worth keeping the same company.” Knowing that a pivot to a different customer could still satisfy its mission, Rebric could cut through the noise, and make the next move without fear. 

Get Hyper Focused

A crisis isn’t quiet, says, Paulisick, but leaders need to “work to eliminate the static of everything, get the noise out of their head to achieve clarity.”

Crisis and chaos will pull founders in multiple directions simultaneously but with the guidance of a coach and some self-awareness, CEOs can work to organize the noise and create a sense of calm. 


The company audience or offering might look dramatically different once the crisis has passed, but are the foundational values still in place?


“In a crisis, leaders find themselves on their heels,” explains Paulisick, “and that’s a place they’re ill-equipped to make decisions from.” 

It may seem counterintuitive, but working with a crisis coach can help slow down the thinking process, cutting away the static and panic, and allowing leaders to stop reacting and start making proactive decisions. It brings back a sense of control to founders, so they can work from a place of understanding over panic.

Pivot in a Path

A common reaction to a crisis is to pivot the business model. Oltyan is no stranger to pivoting, but he compares it to hiking trips with his kids. 

“I let the kids go off into the woods, but I always tell them to keep these three trees in view or other wayfinders,” Oltyan explains. The strategy ensures his children are always traveling in a straight line, and they can always find their way back to camp. 

“To me, that’s what your pivots should be. As long as you keep these things in sight, you’ll always have triangulation. It’s important to know where you’re going, and how you’re going to measure that you’re headed in the right direction.”  


“I let the kids go off into the woods, but I always tell them to keep these three trees in view or other wayfinders,” Oltyan explains.


Think of crisis coaches as a personal trail guide. As a founder and CEO, you may have a map and the tools, but many of us have a hard time seeing the big picture when we’re deep in the forest. As a leader, you may pick the ultimate path or route, but the coach can show you the way. 

Balance the Trade-Off Between Impact and Effort

When you’re in crisis mode, a dwindling bank account or the ticking clock might keep you from being able to make certain decisions, investments, or long term strategies—you might be looking for a solution right now, and fast. 

“A coach can help facilitate smaller steps for the largest gain,” advises Paulisick. With their experience and outside perspective, they can offer up small suggestions that lead to big changes.

Similarly, traditional coaching can be expensive and time-consuming, not the best combination for a stressed-out CEO. Luckily, “through digital platforms and tools, 75% of the one on one coaching can be done for 25% of the cost,” Paulisick reminds. 


Luckily, “through digital platforms and tools, 75% of the one on one coaching can be done for 25% of the cost,” Paulisick reminds.


A coach that’s the right fit and within the budget for you might look decidedly different than what you had in mind. However, it’s okay to think a little shorter-term right now and make the smart financial and personal decisions to fit your team’s needs.


Eleanor Haglund is the Founder and CEO of Aspire 360 and an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School (CBS ‘21). She has a background in strategy, operations and communications in the coaching, publishing, and pharmaceutical industries.


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