Running a business is rarely smooth sailing. If you’ve ever felt like the competition is breathing down your neck or that others in your industry are watching your every move, you’re not alone. I’ve been there — more than once.
Back in my cake-making days, I had two very different but equally challenging experiences.
The first came from someone I once considered a friend. We’d worked together, shared ideas, even stayed at each other’s houses. Then almost overnight, she decided being friends was a “conflict of interest.” She unfriended me on social media, distanced herself, and even started approaching suppliers I was working with to try to edge into the same opportunities. It was awkward. It was painful. And honestly? It shook me.
The second challenge came when another cake maker opened a shop directly opposite mine. I could literally sit at my desk, look out of the window, and see her door. To make matters worse, she offered the same style of cakes at the same price point — and even tried undercutting my prices when speaking to potential clients. Talk about uncomfortable.
Both moments could have broken me. But instead of reacting, I stuck to my plan. I showed up to my wedding fairs. I delivered my cakes. I continued with the strategy I’d mapped out at the start of the year.
And you know what happened?
Both of those competitors closed their businesses within one to two years. Not because they weren’t talented but because they were so busy watching me, trying to replicate what I was doing, that they never built their own strategy.
The lesson?
? When you focus on what others are doing, you lose sight of your own path.
? When you spend your energy reacting, you stop creating.
? When you’re too busy watching, you’re not building.
Big businesses don’t operate like that. Tesco doesn’t wait to see what Sainsbury’s is doing for Christmas before planning its campaigns. Fashion designers don’t hold off on their collections until competitors reveal theirs. Successful businesses map out their own roadmaps and stick to them.
So if you’re feeling the pressure of competition right now, here’s my advice:
- Stick to your strategy. If you’ve got a plan, trust it.
- Show up, even when it feels hard. Confidence grows in the doing.
- Remember: their focus on you means they’re not focused on themselves. That’s their downfall, not yours.
Business resilience isn’t about avoiding adversity, it’s about thriving in spite of it. Keep your head high, stay focused on your roadmap, and trust that consistency beats copycats every single time.
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Shelly Shulman 