The Rule of Threes (and Other Lies)
They say bad things come in threes. Lovely idea, that. Neat. Symmetrical. Easy to meme. But last week? I think I hit double figures by Wednesday.
Let’s take a quick roll call of calamity, shall we?
My car was sent to the naughty corner courtesy of a dodgy airbag (Google ‘Takata’ and you’ll see the carnage!)
I spilled coffee onto my laptop keyboard. Again. It now smells permanently of toasted despair.
A potential new Clustomer ghosted me. They just… vanished. Like a Victorian child in a Brontë novel.
I had to call HMRC. Enough said.
The internet at The Cluster decided it was on a spiritual retreat and disconnected itself.
And then, just to keep things interesting, I had a pretty terrifying incident in my business car park that tested my skills of diplomacy to the max!
Honestly, if this week were a person, it would be that lad in school who stole your Penguin bar, drew a penis on your exercise book, and later grew up to be an estate agent (shudder!)
The Meltdown Moment
There was a point – I think Tuesday, but time has lost all meaning – when I sat on the floor in the kitchen, surrounded by loo roll that I was carefully putting away in the cupboard, and whispered to myself:
“Kev, maybe it’s time to apply for that job at Hobbycraft.”
And look, that’s fine. Every solopreneur has their “Hobbycraft” moment. That existential little wobble where you seriously consider stacking glue sticks and not being responsible for absolutely everything. But here’s the kicker. I didn’t give up. Not because I’m especially brave or brilliant (although thank you, I am a delight), but because adversity, weirdly, kind of resets you.
Let’s Talk About Adversity (a.k.a. When the Universe Kicks You Up the Arse)
Adversity is the unsolicited motivational speaker of business life. You don’t invite it, you didn’t pay for it, and yet here it is, shouting aggressively in your face:
“YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!”
And weirdly, it’s right. Here’s what I learnt last week, amidst the wreckage:
1. You Are Stronger Than You Think (Even When You’re Crying in the Kitchen)
I got through every crapstorm hurled at me. Not elegantly, not Instagrammably, but I got through. You don’t need to be superhuman to run a business – you just need to keep showing up when everything tells you to go lie in dark room!
2. Laugh or You’ll Cry. Or, Do Both.
When the fourth thing went wrong, I made a list titled “Today’s Bullsh*t” and stuck it on my laptop. By the time I added the eighth entry, I started laughing. Because honestly? You either find a way to laugh at the chaos or risk becoming a full-time gremlin. Humour is a survival tool. Use it liberally.
3. Have an “Emergency Protocol”
No, not like MI5. I mean your own self-care business code red. Mine looks like this:
Text a mate: “Tell me I’m not a failure, please.”
Walk to The Meet Point Coffee Summertown. Don’t check your emails. Just go get coffee and moral support (thanks Shaek)
Order something with chocolate in it or better still coffee and chocolate!
Breathe. Vent. Laugh. Return.
Put on a Kylie song and pretend I’m the CEO of everything.
(We all need a little ego cosplay sometimes.)
4. Ask for Help Without Shame
This week, someone offered to help me promote a gardening event. Another stayed late to fix the WiFi. Someone else just made me tea without asking. And here’s the deal: people want to help. Let them. You don’t have to be the bloody Rock of Gibraltar every minute of the day. Sometimes you’re just a slightly soggy co-working founder with a mop. And that’s alright.
5. Growth Hides in the Crap Bits
I hate this one, because it sounds like something a smug TED talker would say before whipping out a flipchart. But dammit, it’s true.
Every single disaster last week taught me something:
I need a better backup plan for tech fails.
I can calmly handle a minor unexpected accident without needing a therapist present.
I’ve built something real if people show up, even when the wheels fall off.
You don’t realise how capable you are until things stop working and you keep going anyway.
The Fear Response Rewired
Here’s a weird truth no one really prepares you for: adversity rewires your fear response. It teaches your brain: “Oh, this is survivable.” Where before I would panic, freeze, catastrophise, mentally write my own bankruptcy notice – now I shrug, swear, and find a workaround.
You can only build that kind of resilience by walking through the fire, not around it. And once you’ve done it a few times, you stop being scared of the unknown. Because you know you can handle it, even if it sucks in the moment. Fear shrinks every time you face it. (Also, having snacks helps.)
The Bit Where I Pretend to Be Wise
Here’s what that crapstorm of a week taught me:
Shit happens. Sometimes ten times in a row. It’s not personal, it’s just business (and sometimes life being a drama queen.)
Adversity isn’t failure. It’s just friction. And friction sharpens the blade.
You’re not weak for wanting to give up. You’re strong for getting back up again.
Laughter, community, and one really solid playlist are better than any motivational book.
Most things can be fixed with kindness, caffeine, or sellotape.
Final Thought Before I Sleep for 14 Hours
Last week was hell. But I’m still here. The Cluster’s still standing (just about). And I’ve had people around me who reminded me I don’t have to be perfect, I just have to be present.
If you’re in your own crap week right now: I see you. You’re not alone. You’re not doing it wrong. You’re doing it real. We keep showing up. We learn. We build resilience like it’s scaffolding. We cry in kitchen and then go fix the WiFi. And eventually, one day, we’ll look back and say,
“Bloody hell. Look what I built through all that.”
So yeah. That was last week. May this week involve fewer disasters and more cinnamon buns.
Clap for yourself, you absolute legends.
Kev
Chief Clustodian 47.5 and winging it!
