Why embracing uncertainty is key to sustainable small business leadership

For years, I believed I was resistant to risk. But in truth, embracing uncertainty has become one of my greatest strengths.

Moving from London to Ireland not knowing anyone apart from my husband, starting a coworking business in 2012 when the model was almost unknown locally, and steering through Brexit, the absence of government in Northern Ireland, and a global pandemic all while operating from a border town have shown me that resilience isn’t about having the answers. It’s about being willing to begin without knowing the outcome.

Uncertainty is uncomfortable but not unnatural

At a recent RSA panel event on Embracing Uncertainty, author Margaret Heffernan and panelists Josette Bushell-Mingo and Andrew Grant shared deeply human perspectives on change, creativity and leading through unknowns. Their message was clear: uncertainty is not a flaw in the system, it is the system.

Margaret described uncertainty not as something to solve or escape, but something to move with. Drawing on examples from artists, writers, and musicians, she reminded us that creativity is about starting before you know the ending. Artists begin with a fragment of an idea not a finished blueprint. They wander, they pause, they reflect. That’s where the breakthroughs happen.

In nature, diversity and adaptability are essential. So it is in business

Andrew Grant spoke about designing Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay an extraordinary example of collaborative, cross-disciplinary thinking rooted in ecological diversity and imagination. Like ecosystems, strong businesses thrive through interaction and creativity.

This resonates deeply in the world of coworking. Our industry operates at the intersection of real estate, hospitality, human relationships and community care. It’s never static and it shouldn’t be. In fact, it’s our ability to respond to social, economic and emotional shifts that gives us staying power.

The quiet work matters most

Josette Bushell-Mingo shared a powerful reminder: some of the most important work is unseen. It happens in moments of reflection, in brave conversations, in the creative tension between grief and imagination. She spoke openly about neurodivergence and her daily lived experience of navigating the unknown. Her words landed with many in the room: “You’re all just catching up.”

Micro business owners are artists of their own kind

To run a small, purpose-led business is to face uncertainty every day. Whether you’re managing a coworking space, running a creative studio, or coaching clients, you’re holding space, making decisions, wearing multiple hats and often doing it without a safety net.

But as I’ve learned through coaching and personal experience, the key isn’t to eliminate uncertainty, it’s to build emotional sustainability within it.

What emotional sustainability looks like:

• Creating space for pause and reflection (not just reaction)
• Developing systems that support your energy, not deplete it
• Building alliances and ecosystems of mutual support
• Allowing creativity to lead, even when the path isn’t clear
• Recognising that your humanness not your efficiency, is the heart of your value

In a world chasing speed, pause is radical. Reflection is powerful. Connection is essential.

If you’re feeling the weight of decision fatigue or small business burnout, you’re not alone. You’re not behind. You’re in a deeply human moment.

The good news? These moments are where real change begins.

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Ready to explore what emotional sustainability looks like for you?

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Always here with heart 💛

Suzanne Murdock

I’d love to hear your stories, experiences in these areas….

If any of this resonates with you and you’d like to learn more then I’m here to help.

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