How to Persevere When the Entire Business World Changes
Frankly, it’s hard to remember at this point, in June 2020, what hasn’t changed. A wise person once said the only constant in life is change and nothing could be more accurate right now.
When a virus hits the world, and a pandemic results. When the economy gets pummeled and then we’re all forced into our homes and away from personal interaction. When social injustice and institutional racism that’s been bubbling under the surface for generations finally demands a reckoning. When the leader of the free world chooses self-preservation and accusations over caring for and protecting its citizens.
When all of this occurs in a six-month period of time, one can only conclude that this is a time of profound transition and hopefully positive growth -- our nations, for us as individuals, and for our world.
As professional women in this time, we have an unprecedented opportunity to show our worth, our gumption, our courage, our social values, and our ability to adapt to an evolving world.
This month, I connected (remotely) with Margaret Cascio. A veteran in the hospitality and tech industries, a mother, a full-time career woman, and a social advocate to discuss how she is persisting during this time and finding ways to flourish and adapt. Here is her story.
Margaret Cascio, left, with her mother and daughter.
EM: How has the Coronavirus changed your day-to-day job?
MC: This is a great question. Fortunately, my day-to-day world has not changed in the ways that most people are dealing with right now.
My team and I have always worked from home. In that way, Sudara was prepared for the virus outbreak. We had already developed the skills and habits necessary to succeed in such an ecosystem.
What did change was almost everything else.
With so many adjustments happening in all parts of our lives; families being home while we are working, professionals needing to learn new skills, like video conferencing, etc., and the unknowingness of what is going to happen and change in the world, my day-to-day shifted drastically.
With this moment, I have chosen to embrace the evolution of the business world and lean into the learnings I have have been practicing and teaching over the past 5-6 years. Fortunately, I was already on a road to self-realization before the business shift occurred.
But with it, came new opportunities. I started meditating more. I started taking deeper breaths and longer moments of silence. I tried, and am still trying, to have more grace and gratitude. I am taking more time for myself and made time to create more personal connections with others.
There are many other changes I am making right now, but what has really happened in my day-to-day is a constant reminder not to slip back into bad habits. A constant need for me to continue to grow into more healthy ways of living.
I am grateful for the reminder. I am just sorry it needed to come in such a dramatic form.
EM: Do you think the pandemic will change the business world permanently? How or how not?
MC: I have high hopes that we (as a society) will learn valuable lessons from this experience.
What I hope most is that everyone learns a lesson or five and that they continue to develop and expand.
I have seen an incredible increase of interest in impact brands and companies with virtuous supply chains. Knowing where goods and supplies are coming from and how they are made so that ethical companies can thrive, and disenfranchisement of populations can stop is more critical than ever.
People who did not know a lot about companies with a focus on social responsibility before are now asking questions, wanting to know more so they can do more as consumers to affect change in the world. This is something I believe will stick. If we can become more engaged and aware, then our world can heal and continue to be safer.
There was a prominent study done by McKinsey & Company last year which identified social and environmental sustainability and how this has become a burning priority for consumers, companies, and governments.
The COVID-19 pandemic, and following social discourse has highlighted the opportunity for our nation to engage. It is giving us all the choice to become a part of the solution or and not part of the problem.
EM: What has been a positive bi-product of the business changes caused by COVID-19?
MC: The Sudara team and I have gained more experience in being flexible and changing direction on a dime.
This was a skill we already had, but the pandemic has pushed us to new levels. We have had many challenges put in front of us, some COVID-19 related, and others due to an ever-changing marketplace. I know we will take these experiences forward and it will definitely help us to be more nimble and able to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. I believe in the “Fail Fast, Fail Often” entrepreneurial business model. This concept often gets a bad wrap, but when you’re working in an industry and for a company that is trying to change the world and our perception of women in it, being able to try new things without fear, but then pivot at the right moments is critical to success.
Because my company has taken advantage of these opportunities, we are in a much stronger position moving forward then we would have been had we followed a more traditional model.
EM: How has your family persevered during this time?
MC: We have truly grown closer during this time. My husband and I have created a daily ritual about creating time with each other.
Since we are in the house together all day now and all of our activities are done together, we set aside a specific time to make meals collectively, play games, and talk instead of watching TV. This was something we started before the pandemic but has become part of what helps us survive these days.
Since we have more time together, we can carve out time to do special things like these.
Our daughter is in Denver, which has been difficult during this time, but she and I talk a lot and stay close through this effort of frequent communication. This time has given us the opportunity to create ‘Zoom family meetings’ so she can connect with grandparents and other family members. It is definitely something we will maintain as the world opens back up. We are dispersed, so instead of staying in touch via Facebook or Instagram, we now take time to do face-to-face calls. It’s been lovely and is a wonderful byproduct of the time in which we live.
EM: How has your career evolved in the last year? Do you think this evolution is permanent?
MC: I have experienced a lot of change in the last year. For about the last 5 years prior, I had worked to shift my career INTENTIONALLY into the socially-conscious business sector and serve young professionals moving into leadership roles.
I helped them focus on being, not only a great leader but leading in a mindful and caring way. The experience of this coaching changed my own thinking and way of doing business.
In the Fall of 2019, I started working with two friends, Shannon Keith, Sudara’s founder, and Lisa Flynn, CEO of Sudara, whom I highly respect, on sales strategies to help them to take their business to the next level. At the beginning of 2020, I was asked to move into a more permanent role with the Sudara team, and I accepted! I still offer some consulting with other companies on the side, and that helps open doors and keep my perspectives diverse.
I do know that my career will evolve in the socially-conscious business space and that will be permanent. I made this shift intentionally and I have “found my people.” I am here to stay.
EM: Has your business mindset changed since the world has changed?
MC: I would not say that my mindset has changed, per se. It has become more stable.
Five years ago I knew there was a better way to do business. When I found the Conscious Business/Capitalism and B-Corp communities, I knew I was home. Companies who focus on balancing purpose and profit are, in my mind, the only companies worth doing business with. When brands consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment, they create a global movement of people using business as a force for good and that is what I believe all businesses should be doing right now.
Engaging with companies who practice business in a way that elevates humanity is what I feel I was meant to do and will continue to do for the rest of my life.
EM: How did you start your day before Coronavirus?
MC: This is interesting. The week before the US went into lockdown, I was at one of the most amazing conferences I have ever attended, the SheEO Global Summit.
I could not have been in a better and more inspiring place. It was an empowering experience with women, and men, from all around the world brought together to talk about and address some of the world’s biggest social and business issues. Interestingly, it was the most beneficial thing I could have done to prepare me for what was to come.
EM: How do you start your day now?
MC: With reflection, taking a moment of time to prepare for what is to come, with a conscious mindset that asks “what does the world need me to be today?”
EM: What are the 3 most challenging things in your workday?
MC: Ahh, excellent question! Here’s what I struggle with each day in my office (at home):
Maintaining focus. Balancing multiple things can be challenging at times. It is sometimes hard for me to focus on what is the best use of my time. This is a struggle I am working to master on a daily basis. The best way I do this is by,
Making a list at the end of every day and reviewing it every morning.
Using tools such as Hubspot and Monday.com to keep me on track and not let too many things fall through the cracks, and
Giving myself the option to take a few minutes for a walk or a meditation if I am not at my best in a particular moment.
Giving myself grace. I can be hard on myself. When I am not meeting my own expectations, my instinct is to blame myself. I work to give myself grace in these moments and remember that I am human.
Taking time for myself. Funny as it sounds, it is sometimes hard for me to remember to stop and do the little things that enable me to be healthy and calm in my day. I have to schedule in time to eat a good lunch (away from the computer), or time for a walk to make sure I don’t get stuck behind the computer all day.
EM: What inspires you to keep going?
MC: I am inspired every day by the people around me, my amazing team, fantastic friends, and especially my family.
There are so many incredible women and men in my life that gracefully do what needs to be done. They keep me going. And aside from them, I gain strength and inspiration from the beauty outside my window. Nothing gives me more hope than the beauty of nature.
EM: How has your company changed and adapted to business changes in the last year?
MC: Oh so much! At the beginning of this year, our team spent some quality time creating a very firm annual plan with lots of possibilities and we were rolling! Then things changed, as they did for all businesses.
Because we had taken the time to put a thoughtful plan in place, one that took into account contingencies and diversification, we had set ourselves up for success by building in additional paths to choose from. We have brought forth a few of these ideas and they have been successful for us. It’s been a blessing.
EM: What do you think will cause your business to survive and grow during this time?
MC: Doing exactly what we have been doing for the past few months. Focusing on the goals below has helped immensely, and will see us through this time!
Being flexibility
Inspiring creativity
Focusing on the good in all
Holding grace in our hearts
EM: If you could give your college-self 3 pieces of advice, what would they be?
MC: I love this question because I have thought a lot about this over the past 5-6 years.
If I could give my younger self-insight from the present, I would tell myself the following things:
Follow your heart. I know many people tout this belief, and it can be hard to accept and even harder to imagine what it means. But when you really listen to your inner self (or heart) and I mean REALLY listen, your heart will tell you what is right for you.
Give yourself grace. I’ve said this early in the piece, but you won’t always make the right choices or do the right thing, even when your intentions are good. The choices and decisions you make (right or wrong) gift you with opportunities to learn and grow. Once you dig in and understand what you were supposed to learn from that experience, then it’s time to give yourself the grace to forgive (if needed) and move on to a healthier you.
Do what makes your heart sing. This should apply to everything in your life; your job, the people you hang out with, where you live, everything. When you do something that makes your heart sing you are giving the best of yourself. It’s how to live a real and happy life.
EM: What do you miss most about life before quarantine?
MC: What I miss most is being able to give my friends and family big hugs and really look them in the eyes.
It’s my love language and how I show my love for others. It’s been fascinating to have to get creative with showing love in other ways.
EM: What do you LOVE most about your life right now? And what will you change about your life when this virus passes?
MC: What I love most about my life right now is that I am where I need to be. I am happy. I am loved. I am fulfilled.
I hope that once this virus passes it is even more clear to me where I need to be so I can do good in the world. For now, I am taking inventory and practicing gratitude.
EM: Who are the 3 women that inspire you most? Why?
MC: Without question, the following women have been instrumental in my life:
My mother. She has been through some of the most heartwrenching events you can imagine and she is the most caring, giving, and loving person I have ever met. If there ever was a person who would have an excuse to not be caring, loving, and giving, it would be her, but she has risen above her history and is an example for everyone.
My daughter. She has the most amazing spirt. Her love is deep. She brings a light to the world that cannot be put out. She is talented and so creative. She does not think twice about offering to help or make someone feel important and she has the best laugh.
The collective group of women I met at the SheEO Summit. I have never met a group of women who care so much about others. I also have many friends who embody these characteristics and when the world is run by women like this the world will heal.
EM: What are your top five favorite movies, books bands, or songs?
MC: Tough question! Here are some of my favorites.
My favorite movie is Mrs. Doubtfire. That movie always makes me smile. It continues to show me that love always prevails and her dance with the broom is fantastic!!!
Favorite song. I have a lot of favorite songs. This is my daughter’s Happy Song, so I am going to say, Sunday Candy. It is one of my most favorites as well.
My favorite poem is by Kitty O’Meara, “And the People Stayed Home.” It feels especially relevant right now:
“And people stayed home
and read books and listened
and rested and exercised
and made art and played
and learned new ways of being
and stopped
and listened deeper
someone meditated
someone prayed
someone danced
someone met their shadow
and people began to think differently
and people healed
and in the absence of people who lived in ignorant ways,
dangerous, meaningless and heartless,
even the earth began to heal
and when the danger ended
and people found each other
grieved for the dead people
and they made new choices
and dreamed of new visions
and created new ways of life
and healed the earth completely
just as they were healed themselves”
- Kitty O’Meara
Margaret and her husband, Thane.
Learn more about Margaret Cascio.
Margaret is an experienced Sales, Marketing and Client Experience executive focused on revenue-producing strategies that drive customer engagement and value, both inside and outside your organization. She is passionate about developing young leaders via Conscious Capitalism and Mindful Business Leadership practices. Currently, the Head of Sales at Sudara and a leadership consultant for large organizations, Margaret is a woman and a leader in the business community. She’s also a dedicated wife and mother, who loves a good chat over coffee and enjoying the natural beauty in her community of Bend, Oregon.
Learn more about Sudara:
Sudara is a benefit corporation that offers a beautiful line of apparel inspired by local Indian culture, crafted by the brave women in the community who wish to remain free from the sex trade. In India alone, there are more than 3 million sex workers.
Revenue generated from the product line-up of ethical apparel, home goods, and accessories are reinvested in employable skills training and job placement programs in India. Learn more about Sudara at sudara.org.