Contributed to EO by B. Jeffrey Madoff

When the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the US in January of 2020, the situation demanded a rapid response. A new, highly contagious virus posed an imminent threat to the world. This situation kicked off a chain reaction of events, including:

• Scientists began experimenting to create vaccines to combat the virus.
• State and local governments required nonessential businesses to close and people to shelter at home.
• Television networks figured out new ways to produce live shows.
• Businesses had to rethink distribution of goods and services.
• Corporations and educational institutions had to find ways to bring people together for meetings and instruction.

The impact was not only economic, it was psychological. Families and friends had to find on-line means of supporting each other during this crisis.

What do all of these examples have in common? All are examples of creative thinking to solve problems. This type of thinking is essential for entrepreneurs; define a problem or need, then leverage the ability to quickly pivot, iterate and actualize an idea. Entrepreneurship is a creative activity.

Those of us working from home faced the challenge of how to be creative, productive and keep our businesses alive. COVID-19 added immeasurably to that challenge. For many of us, it was hard to focus, to move forward on plans and projects. We were experiencing something we’d never endured before. It was scary, but it also offered opportunities for new ways of thinking.