Permanent Pivot: How the Pandemic Forced These Three Businesses to Change—For the Better

What do you do when the world goes sideways and the future of your business teeters perilously on the edge of a very tall cliff?

That was the reality of almost every single small business owner and entrepreneur in March 2020, when the entire planet went into lockdown in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19. With that came the temporary closure of all but the most necessary businesses. And what was originally thought to (or hoped would) be a short-term hiccup eventually drew out into months.

Resourceful as they are, many of our customers switched gears and moved their entire business models online. These weren’t small adjustments in course—they were fundamental changes to the way they run their businesses and generate revenue.

There were no plans. No maps. No blueprints. It was uncharted territory. And there was zero guarantee of success.

But, for these intrepid entrepreneurs, it was the only option.

A year later, we wanted to highlight a few of the people who made that pivot a permanent one. We think their stories are an excellent example of what’s possible with a touch of hustle, a bit of determination, and a smidge of that entrepreneurial spirit. (And maybe even a Leadpages account.)

Customer: Kat Gaskin

Business: The Content Planner

In February 2020, Kat had speaking engagements and workshops booked in cities across North America. Almost overnight, every last one was cancelled, effectively wiping out almost $150K in expected revenue—not to mention the $10K in business debt she was sitting on. It was about as worst-case-scenario as they come.

If she wanted her business to survive she had to think fast.

But Kat’s a quick thinker—she put panic aside and looked for options. She realized that any speaking engagement that she could attend in real life, she could host online as well. So in just a couple of days, she moved all of her events to Zoom and then used Leadpages to promote them. She was able to connect all of the apps she needed to manage and communicate with attendees as well as process payments.

Kat’s professional-looking thank-you page complete with a countdown timer.

Since then, she’s generated more than $100K in revenue with a net profit margin of 96% (much higher than her in-person events). She’s also re-launching her workshop as an evergreen product with a goal of growing it to seven figures in revenue.

If Kat’s story teaches us something, it’s that sometimes the worst situations can lead to outcomes far better than what was laid out in your original plan. Check out Kat’s full case study here.

Customer: Julie DiLeo

Business: Women’s Fitness of Boston

It’s no secret that the fitness industry was amongst the hardest hit by COVID-19. But even as some gyms re-opened with mask and distancing measures in place, most of Julie’s clientbase was now working from home with many opting to move out of the city entirely. That combined with the cost of improving ventilation systems, lease negotiations, retaining staff, and day-to-day maintenance made her situation dire.

Fortunately, Julie was able to connect with other business owners in similar circumstances for support and advice. They helped her rebuild the business in an online format complete with fitness schedules, zoom classes, and evergreen video content. She used Leadpages’ templates to promote her classes, capture leads, and drive signups. She also regularly checked in with our Facebook group and weekly meetings to see how other customers are using Leadpages products to help grow their business in the new online-only world.

Julie was able to quickly create high-converting landing pages like this one for her classes.

Despite the circumstances, Julie’s business is thriving. Her resilient, can-do attitude and willingness to tap into the community for support and advice helped her navigate the treacherous waters of the pandemic. We’re proud of her accomplishments and happy we were able to provide her with tools that helped her overcome those challenges.

Customer: Roni Ramos

Business: Harmony 3 Productions

Roni Ramos is the founder and president of Harmony 3 Productions—an LA-based video/photography/motion graphics studio. The hands-on nature of her work means that she’s on-site and face-to-face with her clients, helping them build their businesses with quality creative content. When the pandemic restrictions began, Roni could no longer operate her business in-person.

Fortunately, the demand for her services didn’t diminish. The challenge was simply figuring out how to make that work. So she moved everything online. Photo and video shoots were directed virtually. Consultations were conducted over Zoom. And she even hosted live webinars on social media and content topics to generate leads and grow her business.

As a non-designer or web expert, she found Leadpages to be the easiest way to promote her content online. The templates were easy to use, adjust, and they made her look professional. She also saw some impressive results—her webinar registrations skyrocketed.

Roni was able to spin up webinar landing pages in just minutes.

Completely changing the way you do what you do is an enormous challenge—even if the demand is there. We admire Roni’s resilience, and we’re thrilled that Leadpages played a role in her success.

Change is constant in business. To be successful, you need to adapt to the world around you. But the COVID-19 pandemic took that to another level.

Conclusion

There’s no denying that 2020/21 have been difficult years for small business owners. They’ve been a test of ingenuity, hard work, and spirit. And we’re both proud of and grateful for all the entrepreneurs that turned to Leadpages to help them not just weather the storm, but reinvent themselves in the middle of it and come out the other side stronger than before.

We want to know—how did the pandemic affect your business? What changes did you make? Tell us in the comments below.

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