Every leader has a moment when the plan that looked airtight suddenly isn’t. The Acceleration Project (TAP) CEO Jane Veron recently opened up about one of hers on KNOW’s Shop Talk, joining host Sarah Benken Foushee, Al’ice Haskins and Natalie Silverstein for a conversation about the comeback. You can watch the full episode, "How to Bounce Back From Failure in Business: The Comeback Playbook," here.

Jane recalled presenting a new flagship program to her board, a plan that had taken more than six months to build, only to see 25 to 30 percent of TAP’s budget freeze two days later. Her response was to stay steady, be honest with her team, and give each person a clear responsibility. The setback also opened a door. Without being limited to one partner’s network, TAP could offer the program to everyone. As Jane put it, “You never waste a good crisis.”

She also shared lessons for other business owners. Build reserves while times are good, she advised, and not only financial ones, but the goodwill you’ve built by helping others. She pointed to her time as mayor of Scarsdale, when she changed local laws so businesses could sell on the street and dine outdoors during COVID, changes the community kept long after the pandemic. Her advice to her younger self was that careers aren’t linear. Say yes, try things you don’t yet know how to do, and remember you never have to go it alone.

Those ideas guide our work with small business owners every day. Learn more about Jane’s journey in her Bizwomen “In Her Own Words” feature, read about how Apollo is helping TAP streamline its operations in Business Insider, and follow her Substack.