Leading in the fog: How to make smart decisions when the path isn’t clear
Katie Decker-Erickson, Success by Design
If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that uncertainty is part of doing business. Whether you run a design firm, manufacture custom goods, operate a boutique, or lead a marketing agency, there will always be moments when you’re asked to make big decisions without a full picture. Markets shift, timelines slip, clients hesitate, and suppliers go quiet. What separates successful business owners from overwhelmed ones is not avoiding uncertainty but learning how to lead through it.
For creative entrepreneurs especially, the unknown can feel personal. We thrive on vision, detail, and control. We’re used to seeing how the colors, textures, and strategies come together before we begin. But business rarely offers that kind of clarity. Often, we have to choose the next step while the paint is still drying.
So how do you make confident decisions when clarity is in short supply? It starts with five simple practices that help you stay grounded when the future feels unclear.
1. Reconnect with Your Vision
When uncertainty hits, the first step is not to gather more data but to reconnect with your “why.” Your vision is your anchor when the tide starts to shift. Before you say yes or no to any opportunity, ask: Does this align with the kind of business and life I’m building?
If your vision is to create stability and balance, expanding your team might not make sense this quarter. If your vision is to scale, playing it safe may not serve you either. Your purpose acts as a filter that clarifies which choices move you forward and which are simply distractions.
2. Focus on the Next Right Step
It’s easy to believe that decisions must be big, final, or flawless. In reality, most decisions can start small. When you’re facing uncertainty, narrow your focus to the next right step.
Instead of revamping your entire client process, test one new approach with a single project. Instead of opening a second retail location, start with a pop-up. Instead of investing heavily in new equipment, lease it first. Treat uncertainty like research. Each small step gives you data, insight, and confidence before you commit to something larger.
3. Pair Intuition with Information
Intuition isn’t guesswork. It’s a deep form of pattern recognition that develops from years of experience. Women in business often sense when something feels off long before the evidence shows up. The trick is to respect that intuition while balancing it with facts.
If a client or partnership doesn’t feel right, check your past experiences, financials, or team feedback. If your instincts say an opportunity is worth exploring, validate it through numbers and research. The best leaders trust both their gut and their spreadsheets.
4. Create Space Before You Decide
Some of the worst business decisions come from the pressure to decide fast. When things feel chaotic, slow down. Give yourself the mental space to separate fear from fact. Step away from your inbox. Sleep on it. Take a walk. Talk it through with someone who isn’t emotionally tied to the outcome.
Clarity often arrives in the quiet moments between action. When you give your mind time to process, your confidence returns. A pause isn’t weakness; it’s strategy.
5. Decide, Then Commit to Learning
At some point, you have to choose. You will never have all the information you want. The goal is to make the most informed decision you can and then move forward with confidence.
If it works, great. If it doesn’t, you’ve gained valuable insight for next time. Indecision drains more energy than a wrong turn ever will. Progress and clarity come from action, not from waiting for the perfect moment.
Embracing the Unknown
Uncertainty is not a flaw in your business plan. It’s a constant companion in entrepreneurship. Once you accept that, it loses its power to intimidate. Every challenge becomes an opportunity to clarify your values, refine your strategy, and strengthen your resilience.
So whether you are designing spaces, creating products, marketing brands, or running a storefront, remember this: you have already proven you can adapt.. You’ve built something from nothing before, and you can do it again. The unknown doesn’t have to be the enemy. It can be the invitation that leads to your next level of growth.
Lead with courage. Trust your intuition. Stay curious. And when the fog rolls in, take the next right step.
Katie Decker-Erickson is the host of Success by Design: Mastering the Business of Interior Design and an interior design business coach who also owns and operates a multimillion dollar commercial design firm. She can be found at successbydesign.coach