Celebrating Success During Covid
I’ve always thought celebrating success when so many are struggling is not appropriate. Maybe it’s a Canadian thing, or maybe its the thought that it may come across as bragging. But here’s a short story on how I’ve pivoted during Covid that hopefully will provide inspiration to others.
As a full-time musician (Sax Appeal Ottawa) and in-person event planner (eSAX)…two of the most hard-hit industries due to Covid, I switched my entire small business model the week of March 20, 2020 to host virtual events on an interactive non-Zoom platform and rebranded as eSAX Virtual Events.
Being a sole proprietor with no employees, it was simple to make the decision overnight to entirely pivot my small business. Everyone in the world at that time was looking for one of three things. Toilet paper; hand sanitizer; and an alternative to Zoom. It was the latter that I specialized in, and in the last 11 years, was the best business decision I’ve ever made.
From the number of high-profile clients we have served (including assisting US President Joe Biden’s inaugural virtual gala on Jan 20, 2021, and other clients such as Chambers of Commerce, multinationals, municipalities, governments and many more), eSAX has positioned itself as an early global leader in the virtual event industry & scaled accordingly in 2021. Gross revenue in 2021 alone was more than the years 2011–2020 COMBINED.
Yes have won some awards and recognition along the ways, but accolades are not what motivates me. Becoming known as a resource for small business to help others learn from my mistakes (….some call it wisdom), fuels my passion.
We now have >700 eSAX YouTube videos to help the entrepreneur ecosystem by providing knowledge, wisdom & motivation to smallbiz. Providing free and accessible business knowledge to help the world’s small business community has always been one of my priorities.
Have also launched a new Podcast series in partnership with TCC Canada during Covid titled ‘Pivoted Success’, interviewing entrepreneurs / community leaders who have successfully adapted to COVID to share their story & provide inspiration.
So the way I see it now, celebrating success should be viewed as a way to provide much-needed inspiration to others during these difficult times.
About Jarrod
Known by his signature fedora, Jarrod Goldsmith is a Canadian small business community builder and is the embodiment of the small business spirit. He founded Sax Appeal (Canada’s Premier Saxophone Ensemble), hosts the eSAX Podcast, Pivoted Success Podcast, Talk to the Fedora, has >700 videos on the eSAX YouTube channel on entrepreneurship, small business knowledge and networking, and also founded eSAX (The Entrepreneur Social Advantage Experience); Ottawa’s largest entrepreneur networking community for small business. Using an interactive and novel virtual event platform, and now known as eSAX Virtual Events, Jarrod has pivoted to hosting exciting virtual events for others.
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