Goal Setting With the Power to Pivot: Why Small Businesses Must Stay Nimble

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s this: the last few years have not gone according to plan.
(If they have for you… please teach the rest of us your magic.)
This was exactly where I started in my recent West Elgin workshop, Goal Setting With the Power to Pivot—a practical, honest, and sometimes humorous conversation about what it really means to adapt as a business owner in a world that keeps changing.
Because pivoting isn’t a trend, a buzzword, or a sign of failure.
It’s a leadership skill. It’s data in motion. It’s how small businesses stay alive, aligned, and moving forward.

We Are All Operating in Some Version of Chaos (And That’s Not a Bad Thing)
“Chaos” gets a bad reputation. But in business, chaos is often just information wearing a dramatic outfit.
When things feel heavy, frustrating, or like you’re pushing a boulder uphill, it’s usually not random. It’s a signal.
Chaos says:

• “Pay attention.”
• “Something needs to shift.”
• “This isn’t working the way it used to.”

Instead of ignoring those feelings, I invited participants to hold one sticky point in mind:
What’s one thing in your business that feels harder than it needs to be?
That’s often where the pivot begins.
 
2. Small Businesses: The Nimblest Pivoters of All
I remind business owners that their size can be their superpower

Small businesses can respond faster, adapt quicker, and test ideas without a 12-month approval chain.
Small = Nimble.
And honestly? Most small-business pivots aren’t dramatic.
They’re small changes that bring big relief:

• Updating a pricing structure that’s no longer working
• Realigning your ideal customer (spoiler: it’s not “everyone”)
• Dropping a service you secretly dread
• Switching platforms that are eating hours of your week
• Saying “no” more often — a deeply underrated pivot

Nearly everyone in the room had pivoted in the last year… and the feeling that followed was universal: relief.
 
3. How to Know It’s Time to Pivot
During the workshop, I shared simple cues that indicate a shift might be needed. If you’re seeing any of these, your business may be trying to get your attention:

• Your goals feel vague, impossible, or disconnected
• You feel resistance every time you face “that one thing”
• A service demands massive effort and provides tiny returns
• Your ideal customer has evolved (but your business hasn’t)
• You keep thinking, “This shouldn’t be this hard”
• Your gut is screaming louder than your spreadsheet

Often, pivoting isn’t about adding more — it’s about removing what no longer fits.
 
4. Pivoting With Intention
What is important to clarify for business owners is that, a pivot does not mean:

• starting from scratch
• abandoning your business
• rebranding into a gluten-free candle shop overnight

A pivot simply means:
Shift slightly toward what’s working, and away from what’s draining you.
Intentional pivoting looks like:

• Listening to the signals
• Getting honest about what’s not working
• Testing small (micro-pivots are powerful)
• Observing how things feel after the shift
• Adjusting again

Most people think goal setting means sticking to a rigid plan.
But the truth is: progress often comes from pivoting, not pushing.
 
5. The Real Power to Pivot
Ultimately, pivoting isn’t a strategy — it’s a form of self-leadership.
It requires honesty, vulnerability, and the courage to say:

• “This isn’t working.”
• “I’m allowed to change my mind.”
• “My business needs to work for my life — not the other way around.”

The most successful business owners aren’t the ones who get everything right.
They’re the ones who adjust.
 
Final ThoughtsSo, here’s the question I ended with — and one I’ll pose to you:
Where is your business trying to get your attention right now?
And what’s one tiny pivot — even 1% — that would create more ease?
At the SBEC, we help entrepreneurs ask those questions every day.
And if you’re standing at the edge of a pivot, big or small, we’re here to support you.

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Emily Mason, Small Business Advisor

Emily Mason is an entrepreneur, business coach, and small business advocate. Originally from England, she earned a master’s in chemical engineering in Scotland before working at NatWest and becoming a certified business coach. She founded EFL Tutors, a successful online tutoring company, which she continues to run remotely. Now based in St. Thomas, Emily is excited to support local entrepreneurs through the Elgin-St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre.