Blog post by our CEO, Barbara Salopek
What Are Your Plans for 2025? And How Did Your 2024 Plans Go?
As the new year started, it’s natural to reflect. Did you hit your goals for 2024? What’s your big plan for 2025? I’d like to share a personal story that taught me a powerful lesson about business strategy, resilience, and innovation.
The Plan: Run 900-1000 km in 2024
I’ve been a runner for years—actually, decades. Running has always been part of my life. So, for 2024, I set a clear, ambitious goal: Run 900 to 1000 km over the year. That’s about 100 km per month for 9-10 months, and the first half of the year was going perfectly. I had already clocked 600 km by end of June and felt confident I’d hit, and maybe even surpass, my goal.
The second half started just as strong. I kept running according to plan and was hitting over 20,000 steps a day. Everything was going smoothly… until it wasn’t.
The Shock: Plantar Fasciitis
In September, I started feeling a pain in my foot. At first, I ignored it. But it didn’t go away. Like most of us, I turned to Google, and my search results all pointed to the same thing: Plantar Fasciitis. The recommendation? “Stop running and walking.”
That hit me like a ton of bricks. My plan, my momentum, my goal—all suddenly at risk. I was in sucha great shape and than this! I felt panicked. What now? What do I do?
At first, I resisted. I’d had setbacks before, and I’d pushed through them. But this wasn’t the type of injury you can just “push through.” I decided to listen to the advice. I stopped running. I got physiotherapy. I told myself, “Give it four weeks. I’ll be back to running by then.”
But that’s not what happened.
The recovery was slower than I’d ever expected. Weeks turned into months. I couldn’t do what I had done before, and the frustration started to build. The slow recovery hurted more than the injury. Physically, I was healing—but mentally, I felt like I was stuck. I had hit a downturn. Sound familiar?
The Pivot: From Running to Swimming
I’d told myself a long time ago that if I ever had a serious injury from running, I’d start swimming. Well, here I was—facing that exact scenario. It was time to pivot.
But it wasn’t as simple as it seemed. Swimming required more logistics and more technical skills than running. Running is simple: shoes on, out the door, go. Swimming? Different story. You need pool access, specific time slots, swimming gear, and, most frustrating of all, proper technique.
I’d been a runner for decades, but now I was suddenly a beginner. The learning curve was steep. My progress was slow. I’d thrash in the water, frustrated that I couldn’t get my breathing right, couldn’t maintain the right form. Breathing in running is quite different than in swimming. Holding brath was such an obstacle for me.
Sound familiar? It’s just like learning something new in business—a new system, a new process, or a new strategy. At first, everything feels unnatural.
The Solution: Ask for Help
After a few weeks of trial and error, I decided to get professional help. I booked private swimming lessons. I didn’t want to waste time “figuring it out” when I could get clear, expert guidance. I needed someone to tell me where I was going wrong and show me how to correct it.
And that’s when things changed.
My coach didn’t just “show me how to swim.” They taught me the small techniques and tricks that I never would have discovered on my own. Things that seem so simple once you know them—but without a coach, they would have taken me months (or years) to figure out.
Two months later, I’m still swimming. My technique is improving. I am significanly faster than in the beggining, but not as fast as I’d like to be, and I still miss running, but I’m proud of my progress.
I adapted. I pivoted. I kept moving forward.
The Business Parallel: Adapt, Pivot, Seek Guidance
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably already connecting the dots. Running your business is a lot like my running journey. Things are going well, and then an unexpected shock hits. Maybe it’s a market shift. Maybe it’s a supply chain disruption. Maybe it’s an economic downturn.
Suddenly, your “run” becomes impossible. You have to pivot. But pivoting isn’t as simple as “just switch strategies.”
Pivoting is hard.
You’re in new territory. The skills you’ve used for years don’t always transfer. You’re no longer a pro—you’re back to being a beginner. And that hurts!
So, what’s the lesson?
When you’re learning something new—like a swimming technique, a new software system, or building an innovation strategy for your business—you have two options:
- Do it alone (and risk wasting time, money, and patience)
- Ask for help (and fast-track your progress)
Like me with my swimming journey, you could spend months “figuring it out” on your own. But if time and resources are limited (and they always are), there’s a better option.
Get a guide. Get a coach. Get someone who knows the shortcuts you’d never discover on your own.
Want to build an innovation strategy and processes in your organization?
It’s the same story. You can go, do it alone, but it will be time-consuming and costly. As an SME, you don’t have all the time and resources in the world.
You need clear, tailored guidance that gets to the point.
At Vinco Innovation, that’s exactly what we provide. We help SMEs build innovation strategies that save time, reduce uncertainty, and deliver results.
It’s like having a swimming coach for your business. Our expertise speeds up your progress, helping you move from “thrashing” to “gliding” as quickly as possible.
If you’re unsure whether you want to move forward, download our free Ebook on Innovaiton processes here.
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💬 Schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation with us!
Not sure where or how to start? Let’s chat about your business challenges and explore how innovation can drive your success.
Click here to book your session.
_ _ _
Innovation doesn’t have to be overwhelming or reserved for big corporations. It’s a step-by-step process that any business can master—and I’ve created a resource to help you get started.
📘 Download our FREE eBook: “5 Steps to Mastering the Innovation Process” here.
Inside, you’ll discover:
✅ Practical strategies to kickstart innovation in your business
✅ Tips for leveraging your SME’s agility to thrive
✅ A simple framework to turn ideas into impactful results
👉 Click here to download your free copy today and start building a more innovative, resilient, and successful business.
Let’s make 2025 your breakthrough year! 🚀
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