02 Sep Why 'You Chose This' Is the Mindset Every Biz Owner Needs in Tough Times
When running my business gets hard, and shit's not going according to plan, and I'm putting out fires, and working on Sundays… I like to remind myself: I chose this.
And that's what I'd like for you to remember too.
When you're in an uncertain economy and prospects don't want to buy… you chose this. When you get price-shopped… you chose this. When the tech you've invested time and money into quits to start his own MSP… you chose this. When the agency you paid 5k/month for only sends you 1 unqualified lead… you chose this. When you thought running an MSP was gonna be techie heaven but all you do is marketing and sales… you chose this.
Here's the thing that separates successful business owners from those who burn out: ownership of your choices.
The Hard Truth About Entrepreneurship
There are millions of people out there who have no control over their income. They are one management decision away from going to zero. But you? You chose to take the "risk" of entrepreneurship, and now you have near-complete control over how wealthy and successful you become.
That's not motivational BS: that's reality.
When I started Katalyst IT, I thought I was signing up for a life of solving cool tech problems and helping businesses run smoother. What I actually signed up for was:
- Late-night emergency calls when servers crash
- Chasing invoices that should have been paid months ago
- Explaining why cybersecurity matters to clients who think it's "optional"
- Competing with the guy who promises the world for half the price
- Managing staff who sometimes have better ideas about how to run my business than I do
Sound familiar?
Why "You Chose This" Changes Everything
This isn't about victim-blaming or toxic positivity. It's about power.
When you truly accept that every challenge, every setback, every frustrating client interaction is something you chose by becoming an entrepreneur, something shifts. You stop being a victim of circumstances and start being the author of your response.
Think about your worst business day this year. Maybe it was:
- A major client threatening to leave
- A cyber attack that had you scrambling for 48 hours straight
- Cash flow so tight you couldn't sleep
- A key employee giving two weeks' notice at the worst possible time
In that moment, you had two choices:
- "Why is this happening to me?"
- "I chose entrepreneurship knowing days like this would come. Now what's my move?"
The first response makes you a victim. The second makes you a strategist.
The MSP Reality Check
Let me be brutally honest about running an IT services company in 2025:
The clients who need you most can afford you least. Small businesses desperately need managed IT services, but they're also the ones counting every dollar. Meanwhile, enterprises with deep pockets already have internal IT teams.
You're selling something invisible until it breaks. Try explaining the value of proactive monitoring to a business owner whose network has been running fine for three years. Good luck.
Every client thinks they're your only client. That 3 AM server emergency? They expect you to answer like you've been sitting by the phone waiting for their call.
Your expertise is constantly questioned. Everyone's nephew "knows computers" and has opinions about your recommendations.
You chose this. I chose this. And here's why that's actually amazing.
The Freedom Hidden in Responsibility
When you truly own your choices: all of them, including the hard ones: you unlock something most people never experience: true freedom.
You're not at the mercy of a boss who might have a bad day and fire you. You're not stuck in a career path someone else designed. You don't have to pretend to care about corporate initiatives that make no sense.
Every problem you face? You get to solve it your way.
Every opportunity? You get to decide if it's worth pursuing.
Every relationship: clients, vendors, employees? You get to choose who stays and who goes.
That's power most people will never have.
Practical Ways to Live This Mindset
Stop saying "I have to" and start saying "I choose to."
Instead of "I have to deal with this difficult client," try "I choose to work with this client because they pay well, even though they're demanding." See how that shifts your relationship with the situation?
Reframe complaints as strategy sessions.
When you catch yourself complaining about a business challenge, pause and ask: "Given that I chose this, what's my next move?" Complaints are just unprocessed strategy.
Own your pricing without apology.
You chose to run a premium IT services company (I hope). That means you chose to deal with price objections. It also means you chose the clients who value quality over cheap quick fixes.
Embrace the chaos.
Entrepreneurs who try to create employee-level stability in their business lives are fighting their own choice. You chose uncertainty because it comes with unlimited upside potential.
When Everything Goes Wrong (And It Will)
Here's what I tell myself during the absolute worst business days:
I will be forever grateful to my younger self for choosing the path of entrepreneurship. You should be grateful too.
Even on the days when:
- Three clients complain about the same issue
- Your biggest prospect goes with the cheaper competitor
- You're working weekends again
- The new hire isn't working out
- Cash flow is tighter than you'd like
You still chose this. Which means you can choose what comes next.
The Katalyst IT Difference
This mindset isn't just personal philosophy: it's how we operate at Katalyst IT. When clients call with emergencies, we don't see interruptions. We see why they chose us.
When prospects question our pricing, we don't get defensive. We remember that we chose to position ourselves as premium providers who deliver results, not the cheapest option on the market.
When technology changes faster than we can keep up, we don't panic. We remember that we chose to be in an industry where staying ahead of the curve is part of the job.
Our managed IT services exist because we chose to take responsibility for our clients' technology challenges. Our cybersecurity solutions exist because we chose to protect businesses from threats they can't even see coming.
The Bottom Line
Running a business: especially in IT: isn't easy. It's not supposed to be. Easy things don't pay well, don't create value, and don't give you the freedom to design your own life.
You chose difficulty because difficulty is where opportunity lives.
You chose uncertainty because certainty is where dreams go to die.
You chose responsibility because responsibility is the price of freedom.
Next time you're having one of those days (and trust me, there will be more), remember: You chose this. And that choice: with all its challenges, all its frustrations, all its late nights and early mornings: is the best decision you ever made.
Because now you're in control. Now you get to decide what comes next.
And that's worth every difficult day you'll ever face.
Ready to take control of your IT challenges? Get in touch and see how Katalyst IT can help your business thrive, even when things get tough.
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