Paint the Vision Anyway
It's the leader's job to paint the vision even when you can't see it yourself.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 80%
When Lori pivoted from her failing alcohol brand to a skincare-supplement brand, one investor wanted out and made her feel like a failure. Her husband told her it was her job as a leader to go tell that investor why she needs to be on board for the next company. Lori's principle: it is a leader and founder's job to consistently paint the vision even when you can't see it — and in painting it for others, you rebuild it for yourself. She got on the call, led with the upside and why the new direction was a better fit, and both parties left energized. Belief, she notes, only builds once it's tested.
Origin
During her pivot from Light Pink to Gloci, an investor essentially accused Lori of conning them. Her husband told her straight to lead and re-paint the vision, and the call that followed became one of her biggest lessons.
Core principles
- 01Articulating the vision to others rebuilds your own belief in it.
- 02Stakeholders' doubt is normal and not a verdict on the idea.
- 03Belief is a muscle that only grows when it's tested.
How to run it
- 1
Process the emotion privately first
Have your moment of crying, fear, or doubt before the conversation so you can lead from a steady place.
- 2
Reframe as a better fit for them
Show the stakeholder why the new direction aligns more closely with who they are, their audience, and where the market is heading.
Pro tip Ground the reframe in specifics about their identity and interests, not generic optimism.
- 3
Lead with upside, not apology
Spend the conversation on why the new path is stronger and easier to build, rather than defending the failure.
Watch out Apologizing your way through the call transfers your doubt to them.
- 4
Let painting the vision rebuild your belief
Recognize that articulating the vision out loud strengthens your own conviction — belief is a muscle tested in exactly these moments.
In the wild
An investor wanted out and made Lori feel like a failure during her pivot. Prompted by her husband, she got on a call and painted the vision for the new brand — why it fit the investor and the market better.
→ Both ended the call excited and in a beautiful state; Lori called it the greatest gift, because it rebuilt her own belief.
Common mistakes
Absorbing the doubt as a verdict
Treating an investor's fear as proof the idea is bad collapses the leader's belief exactly when it needs to be strongest.
Waiting to feel confident before leading
Belief builds by being tested and voiced, not before. Waiting for confidence means never having the conversation.
Is it for you?
Best for
Founders and leaders who must re-recruit skeptical stakeholders through a pivot or downturn.
Not ideal for
Situations where the venture is genuinely unsalvageable and honesty about winding down serves people better than a repainted vision.
From the transcript
“It is a leader and founder's job to consistently paint the vision even when you can't even see it.”
“We don't get to really build our belief muscle until it's tested.”
From the episode
Lori Harder: The Art of Pivoting, How to Reinvent Yourself in Business and Life
Lori Harder