“Bad. The last four days have been bad.” That was the response to a casual how are you doing question on a call this morning.

It took me a bit aback because most clients like to project calm confidence even when things are not going too well. The business might be burning cash, high-cost credit card debts through the roof, never-ending labor shortages and multiple sleepless nights, but in my experience, none of these are usually sufficient to elicit such a blunt response. The typical business owner in Texas is like the proverbial duck swimming in the placid pool – calm and serene on top while furiously paddling below the surface.

The winter storm that just pummeled most of the nation’s south and east seems to have been the last straw. No customers don’t mean the overheads meter pauses. Rent still has to be paid, heating expenses go through the roof, and you have to try extra hard to keep staff happy. Yes, you can try to pause that wages clock, but they too have rents to pay and groceries to buy, and in a tight labor market, things get ugly fast.

All of this is known. But for the next 20 minutes, Kimberly spoke nonstop about her troubles. It was like a dam had burst, and the only thing I could do was keep nodding. There were no easy solutions.

But talking about it with a person who understood her challenges was cathartic. And I could point out there’s a silver lining to every cloud. Her customers too have been stuck at home, and nails don’t stop growing just because you are not stepping out. Nor do eyebrows, or hair roots that need touching up. Past trends have shown a 30-40% spike in customer footfall post a significant weather event like this. While it might not be enough to cover all lost business, it is sufficient to cushion the impact.

A small piece of information like this can keep hope alive.