If there’s one thing I’ve learned from both my time on the field as a professional athlete and in the boardroom as an investor and entrepreneur, it’s this: the game never goes exactly as planned. Whether it’s a last-minute injury or an unexpected market downturn, being able to pivot and stay focused in the face of uncertainty is everything.

Markets are volatile. Industries shift. Consumer trends come and go. And for founders, especially those building in the early stages, that volatility can be unnerving. But it’s also where the real opportunity lies — if you’re willing to adapt.

Embrace the Unknown

I’ve been in rooms where we were closing major funding rounds one day, and navigating regulatory changes the next. When you’re leading a company, uncertainty is not the exception — it’s the norm. You don’t need to eliminate the unknown. You just need to build the muscle to move through it.

The first step is accepting that you won’t always have a clear roadmap. And that’s okay. Some of the most successful businesses I’ve been involved in weren’t following a linear path. They were zig-zagging, reassessing, and reinventing along the way. Your ability to stay calm and focused when things aren’t going perfectly is what will separate you from the pack.

Stay Mission-Driven, Not Method-Obsessed

When things get tough, your mission should be your north star. I’ve seen too many founders fall in love with their original business model and struggle to let go when the market signals that change is needed.

Don’t confuse the “how” with the “why.” Your business model might change. Your pricing might need adjusting. Your target market could shift. But if your purpose — your core mission — is solid, you’ll always find a new way forward.

At Kommunity Fitness, our mission is to elevate wellness in a way that’s inclusive, high-quality, and community-driven. That mission stayed constant even as we adapted our offerings, tech, and expansion model post-COVID. Agility doesn’t mean losing your identity; it means finding better ways to deliver it.

Build a Culture of Flexibility

Your team needs to be part of the mindset shift too. Culture is everything in times of change. If your people aren’t comfortable with feedback, iteration, and fast decision-making, your company won’t be either.

Create an environment where testing is encouraged and failure is seen as learning. At RX3, where I sit on the board, we work with founders who are always iterating — not because they’re indecisive, but because they’re tuned in. They’re listening to data, to consumers, to their own intuition, and making small bets before making big moves.

Keep a Strong Financial Core

Agility doesn’t mean acting recklessly. One of the best lessons I learned early in my entrepreneurial journey — and reinforced through years of investing — is that healthy cash flow and smart budgeting are what allow you to stay nimble.

When you’re building a CPG brand or scaling a startup, you need optionality. That means staying lean where it counts and doubling down only when the signals are strong. During volatile times, burn rates matter more than headlines. You want to be the business that survives and thrives, not the one with the biggest splash and shortest lifespan.

Stay Close to the Customer

In uncertain times, your customers are your compass. Listen to them. Understand their shifting needs. Be willing to adjust your product, your service, your communication style based on real-time feedback.

When we were expanding Kommunity Fitness, we didn’t just assume we knew what the next market needed. We spent time in the community, listened to our members, tested formats, and refined the offering. That data — both qualitative and quantitative — gave us the confidence to move, even during uncertain market conditions.

Trust Your Gut (With a Dose of Data)

There’s no perfect playbook. You can look at market trends, pull competitor reports, and run forecasts, but at the end of the day, leadership requires judgment. It requires you to back your own instincts, even when there’s risk involved.

As someone who’s invested in dozens of startups and sat across the table as both founder and funder, I’ve come to appreciate the art of the gut decision. But it’s never just a feeling — it’s informed by pattern recognition, conversations, and your own lived experience.

Final Thoughts

Uncertainty is here to stay. But so is innovation. The founders who thrive are the ones who stay grounded in their mission, flexible in their methods, and relentless in their pursuit of growth — even when the path isn’t straight.

I’ve been through market booms and busts. I’ve had ventures soar and others fade. And I’ll tell you this: the most rewarding wins weren’t the ones that came easy. They were the ones that came after setbacks, pivots, and persistence.

If you’re building something right now and the ground feels a little shaky — you’re not alone. Stay agile. Stay focused. Keep building.