Navigating the Collective Freeze: How Consultants Can Lead Clients Through Economic Uncertainty

Last week, on a Solo CEO client call, someone said something that’s been quietly echoing in my head ever since:

"My clients aren’t just moving slower. They’re frozen. Honestly, I’m starting to feel like it’s frivolous to even try.”

Another chimed in right away: “Mine too. They're overwhelmed. I’m struggling to figure out how to lead them through this. And how to decide if I even can or want to because who can think about revenue when the world is on fire?”

It wasn’t an isolated insight—it was a mirror. A mirror held up to what many of us have been sensing lately: a deep, collective freeze.

Not just indecision. Not just delay. But something closer to paralysis.

A global nervous system shutdown that’s trickling all the way down into our day-to-day business decisions, project momentum, and emotional bandwidth.

And if you’re a coach, consultant, or creative leader trying to move things forward? You’re not imagining it. It’s real. And it’s disorienting.

So I want to offer you this: a new lens. A new invitation. And maybe, a way forward.

We Are Still in the Middle of It

We all lived through a global trauma with COVID—and most of us never had time to process it.

The world moved on. Deadlines returned. Expectations never paused. And in many ways, we tried to pretend we were fine, even as our bodies and hearts screamed otherwise.

The pace hasn’t slowed. In fact, between the news cycle, the market's ups and downs, and the pace of AI, it has become faster. A lot faster. And shows no sign of slowing down.

But our nervous systems haven’t caught up.

And the more I talk to people—clients, peers, friends—the more I see it. We’re still carrying that trauma. Still living inside it.

Which means we can’t approach our business, our leadership, or our goals the same way.

We have to acknowledge what’s true:

• People are exhausted.

• Uncertainty is everywhere.

• And the natural reaction to all of it is to freeze.

But that doesn’t mean we stop.

It means we learn to move differently.

Here’s how I’ll approach my friends, clients, and the world in light of everything that's happening.

Quick disclaimer: I have no intention to turn this newsletter into one focused on politics or activism. But you know that I’m on a mission to make it infinitely easier for you to build a wildly profitable business while being thoroughly, authentically yourself. And that means amplifying your humanity in the process.

You can expect that, from time to time, I’ll make suggestions on how to navigate this weird world of ours with intention, kindness, and love.

Start With Empathy—Not Just Action

One of the most powerful things you can do for your clients, your community, and yourself right now is simple:

Be an empathetic witness.

See the struggle. Name it. Hold space for it.

Just being there with someone and letting them know you see their emotions, you validate them, and you’ll sit with them in the muck is one of the kindest, bravest things you can do for another person.

Because pretending it isn’t happening isn’t strength—it’s bypass.

And while empathy alone isn’t the solution, it is the starting point.

Then, Reclaim—and Redefine—Agency

Here’s what I know about trauma: It becomes less traumatic when we feel we have a choice. A role to play. An action to take. Something (anything) that we can do for ourselves and the people around us.

Agency isn’t about control over the world. It’s about control over your next step.

So ask your clients (and yourself): What can we choose right now? Where can we move forward?

Sometimes that means shifting an offer. Sometimes it means taking something off their plate. Sometimes it means helping them see the next decision they’re able to make.

You’re not forcing momentum. You’re restoring capacity.

Sometimes Kindness Looks Like Taking Control

One of my clients works with organizations that are spinning—endless back-and-forth, constant delays, and decision fatigue.

He was frustrated. “They’re overthinking everything. They never used to do this.” He explained that every time the market changed or there was a new update about tariffs, they would decide to make a change in their direction. Which meant they’d been ping-ponging in about 100 different directions over the last few months.

Exhausting. Frustrating. And thoroughly pointless.

I said, “Maybe one of the kindest things you can do is take some of those decisions away from them.”

Not in a pushy way. Not in a manipulative way.

But by creating structure. Offering a plan. Setting boundaries.

Giving them a framework they can trust enough to let go.

Because when the world feels chaotic, clear containers aren’t constraints. They’re gifts.

Reconnection Is Part of the Path

When things feel hard, my instinct is to retreat. To isolate. To "figure it out on my own."

But that’s not where healing happens. Or growth. Or clarity.

That happens in community.

One of the most overlooked pieces of post-pandemic trauma is the loneliness. We’re more digitally connected than ever—but more emotionally and physically isolated than we've ever been.

I remember when my therapist told me, “grief demands a witness.” And that has always stuck with me. Whenever we experience a loss, the only way to get through it, process it, and heal from it is to share it with others.

We need people. We need spaces that make us feel safe, seen, and supported.

Whether it’s inside The Solo CEO or somewhere else entirely, I want you to find your people. Or create that space yourself.

Because your next chapter won’t be built alone. It will be shaped through conversation, collaboration, and connection.

You Don’t Have to Be the Revolution—Just the Ripple

There’s a quote I keep coming back to. One that I believe captures the spirit of what this moment requires:

You don’t need to change the world this week. You just need to start a ripple.

Maybe that’s a kind email. A clear next step for a stuck client. A moment of presence in a sales call. Or a boundary you hold with love.

These things matter.

They build.

And when we stack enough ripples? That’s how the current begins to shift.

So if you're feeling frozen—personally, professionally, or collectively—know this:

You're not alone. You're not behind. You're becoming.

And the smallest action you take today might be the very thing someone else needs to move again.

In love and growth,
Kasey

P.S. If you’re feeling this deep in your bones and need a space where you’re not doing this alone—come find us in The Solo CEO. Whether it’s the program, the calls, or just good humans doing meaningful work together… community makes everything easier.

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