The Resilient Founder's Playbook: How to Redefine Success in a Crisis
founder interview with advisor nora livingstone from animal experience international
What happens when the world shuts down and your entire business model becomes impossible overnight? For many founders, this is a moment of panic. For Nora Livingstone, co-founder and CEO of the award-winning B Corp Animal Experience International and a We-Rule Advisor, it was a moment that revealed a profound lesson in resilience.
Her journey of leading a global travel company through a pandemic offers a powerful playbook for any entrepreneur navigating a crisis. It teaches us that the key to survival isn't just about grit; it's about having the wisdom to strategically redefine what it means to succeed when your old metrics no longer apply.
Lesson 1: Embrace the Adventure and Ask "Why Not Me?"
Nora never saw herself as a typical entrepreneur. She didn't have a grand business plan or a deep knowledge of complex financial models. What she did have was curiosity, compassion, and a strong work ethic.
"I never really saw entrepreneurship as something I was that interested in," she admits. "But the more I thought about it, the more I thought: why not me?... If something like Animal Experience International didn't exist already shouldn't it mean anyone could start it?"
She viewed starting the company as a "low-risk adventure." If it worked, she'd be living a dream. If it didn't, she'd get another job and live a different dream.
The Mentor Takeaway: You don't need to have all the answers to begin. Overcome the fear of starting by reframing it. Shifting your mindset from "I'm not qualified" to "Why not me?" and viewing your venture as an "adventure" can be the key to unlocking your potential.
Lesson 2: In a Crisis, Your New KPI is Your Well-Being
The pandemic was devastating for the travel industry, and AEI was hit hard. With their entire operation on hold, the traditional metrics of success—hundreds of volunteers, thousands of dollars for conservation—vanished. The team felt directionless and purposeless. Their solution was radical.
"What we had to do was change what success meant," Nora explains. "Success was not hundreds of volunteers... Success literally meant taking care of ourselves so we could get back to work when we could. It meant really holding space for ourselves and each other so we would authentically grieve, process and recover."
This shift created an environment where clients, partners, and friends talked freely about mental health and the reality of their struggles. They survived the crisis not by hustling, but by healing.
The Mentor Takeaway: When external metrics of success are stripped away, you must pivot to internal ones. The resilience of your team and your own mental health become the most important KPIs. This isn't a "pause"; it's a strategic retreat that allows you to recover, retain your best people, and return stronger than before.
Lesson 3: Curate a "Library of Resilience"
When asked which three books she would save from a fire, Nora's choices reveal the curriculum for a resilient mindset:
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Wintering by Katherine May
"All these authors give us poetry about hope, joy and the world while gentle lessons about living in reciprocity, truth and power," she says.
The Mentor Takeaway: Your mindset is a tool that requires sharpening. Intentionally consuming books, podcasts, and media that teach resilience, hope, and perspective is not a leisure activity; it's a critical part of your leadership development. Curate your own library of wisdom to turn to in difficult times.
Book a Session with a We Rule Advisor
Loved Nora's insights on resilience, ethical business, and leadership? We sure did! Her journey is a testament to the power of leading with compassion and vision.
You can now book a one-on-one advising session with Nora directly through our platform. Get her expert guidance on building a B Corp, navigating a business crisis, or creating an ethical brand.
