Your 100-day sprint to make it ‘all otay’ by mid-year
Years ago, at the top of the tallest slide at the playground in Clintonville, my oldest son saw (feigned) hesitation in his dad’s eyes. Looking up with the confidence only a child can muster, he reassured him with a simple yet profound truth: “It be otay, Dada! You be otay!”
And down dada went.
For the last nine years or so, this phrase has become a familial exchange—a rallying cry we use to remind one another that, no matter what, it will, in fact, be okay. Leaving the house nervous for a big test? “It’ll be otay!” Feeling major anxiety about an upcoming event? “You be otay!” Little ones are often wise beyond their years, seeing the world with a clarity that we, as adults, sometimes lose in the noise of our own doubts.
The fear he was releasing in his dad in that moment—the uncertainty, the hesitation—mirrors what so many founders feel at the close of a tough quarter. You started Q1 with ambition, a clear plan and the highest expectations (I mean, we all enter a new year bright eyed and bushy tailed, right?). But as the quarter closes, you may find yourself staring at the numbers, wondering where the explosive growth went. Maybe the leads didn’t convert as expected. Maybe funding conversations didn’t materialize. Maybe fatigue set in, and self-doubt started whispering in your ear.
This is the moment where many start to hesitate at the edge. The temptation to slow down, to pivot prematurely, or to second-guess the entire journey looms large. But the truth was told that day at the playground: It be otay. You be otay.
Momentum isn’t always obvious. Growth isn’t always immediate. But the work you’re putting in—the meetings, the iterations, the late nights—are stacking up, building towards something greater. Just about 100 days from now, you'll be at the half-way point in the year, having finished up both Q1 and Q2. Time's flying, right? The second quarter isn’t just another set of numbers on a financial report: it’s a reset button. It’s a chance to take everything you learned in Q1—the wins and the missteps—and turn them into fuel for the next stage.
So what now?
Recommit to the vision.
Remember the path you excitedly started down. Reconnect with the purpose that drove you to take this leap in the first place. The road isn’t always smooth, but the mission is still worth pursuing.
Refine your strategy.
Maybe some things didn’t work, and that’s okay. Adjust the messaging, tweak the product, double down on what showed promise. Data from Q1 is not evidence of failure—it’s feedback.
Reignite your momentum.
Take action. Make the call. Close the deal. Launch the campaign. The best way to push past hesitation is to move forward, even if it’s just one tiny step at a time.
I think a lot of founders and business owners get the sprint wrong: They wait to race! They think it's not until Q4 that they need to light a fire under themselves. But by then, it’s often too late. This is your 100-day sprint to the halfway mark of the year. Right now is when you put in the work that ensures you’ll have the energy, clarity and momentum to make the second half count. If you go all in on Q2, you won’t be scrambling in Q4—you’ll be executing with purpose, making bold moves and leaping over the hurdles you don’t even see yet. How great would it be to walk into Q4 having already met many of your goals, looking at additional wins as gravy?
The slide may feel steep, and the drop may seem uncertain. But trust the process. Push forward. And soon enough, you’ll look back and realize that not only were you okay—you were made for this ride.
Q2 awaits. You got this.