Opportunity in the Midst of Adversity

CARTER REPORTS

Author

David Paul Carter
June 25, 2025

In today’s business climate, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly adjusting to shifting winds. Rising costs, tighter margins, cautious customers—these aren’t temporary blips.

But what if the very conditions that make the future feel unclear are the same ones that create hidden advantage? The Chinese proverb within crisis lies opportunity is a timeless reminder: when the environment gets shaky, the chance to build something stronger is born.

This week, I explore five opportunities you and your leadership teams can explore to achieve growth by learning to see differently.

David Paul Carter, The Clarity Guy™

What's On Deck

Opportunity in the Midst of Adversity

Five Opportunities To Achieve Growth In Uncertainty

Uncertainty is no longer the exception; it seems to be the backdrop for a majority of our business activity.

War and politics are on the front page. Margins are under pressure. Customers are more cautious. Supply chains keep shifting. And headlines swing from “recession fears” to “AI-fueled growth” in a matter of days.

But here’s a truth I’ve learned working with my clients: The best opportunities often appear when the market is unstable. They don’t announce themselves. They emerge when you’re willing to see with a different lens or point of view.

“Within crisis lies opportunity” is a powerful reminder that even in the toughest times, there’s a chance to grow, adapt, and find new paths forward. While no single Chinese scholar is known to have coined the exact phrase, it reflects a common theme in Chinese philosophy—recognizing that adversity can lead to progress and transformation.

First, A Mindset Shift

When things feel uncertain, many business owners instinctively pull back. They cut costs, pause investments, and wait for “clarity.”

That can be wise—if it’s part of a deliberate strategy. But too often, hesitation becomes paralysis. And while you’re waiting, others are adapting. Here’s the shift I encourage my clients to focus on.

Stop asking, “How do we survive this?”
Start asking, “Where is the opportunity others aren’t seeing?”

Adversity changes the playing field. It weakens some players. It reveals new problems. It accelerates change. That’s exactly where smart, agile businesses can gain ground.

Let’s talk about where to look. Here are five opportunities you and your leadership teams can explore to achieve growth …

Market Pulse Spotlight

Quiet Quitting - From Customers

According to recent SMB trend data from Salesforce, over 42% of small business buyers have quietly stopped using a vendor or provider this year—not because of a major issue, but because they felt under-served or overlooked.

Opportunity Alert: In today’s fragmented attention economy, loyalty is up for grabs. Customers are voting with their silence. The companies who stay close, listen deeply, and evolve offerings are winning—even in down markets..

Leadership Tool (My Favorite)

Free Rockefeller Habits Checklist.
This Checklist provides the ten most important functions of everyday business that should be on automatic pilot in order for your business to run predictably and consistently. Download Your Free Checklist

Closing Thoughts

"Learn to see. Everything connects to everything else." – Leonardo da Vinci

If adversity teaches us anything, it’s that the systems around us are always shifting—and always interconnected. What looks like a setback might be the very opening you’ve been waiting for. The difference is in how—and where—you look.

Let’s Grow Together
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All the best-

David Paul Carter
Principal, David Paul Carter Consulting LLC

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