S3E74 Leading Through the Chaos in Business Host Tina Baxter

About The Nurse Shark Academy

Welcome to the Leadership Conversations segment of The Nurse Shark Academy Show, where Tina Baxter, your host, shares leadership topics of the day.

My mission is for you to own your seat at the table of nurse entrepreneurship, gaining confidence, skills, and freedom to live your life on your own terms. You will dream big and expand your consciousness as an entrepreneur. The Nurse Shark Academy Show is looking for nurse entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders to guest on the show. If you have always been curious about how to be an effective podcast guest, sign up for our webinar at www.thenursesharkacademy.biz.

About your host

Tina M. Baxter is an advanced practice registered nurse and a board certified gerontological nurse practitioner through the American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC), who resides in Anderson, Indiana. Mrs. Baxter has been a registered nurse for over twenty years and a nurse practitioner for 17 years in the areas of mental health, gerontology, and health education. She is the owner of Baxter Professional Services, LLC, a consulting firm which provides legal nurse consulting services for attorneys and insurance professionals; wellness and chronic disease management coaching; and customized educational and operational resources to healthcare organizations. Mrs. Baxter teaches stress management strategies to clients of all ages and offers virtual as well as online classes. She is listed as an Alignable Local Businessperson of the Year in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. She is the founder of The Nurse Shark Academy® where she coaches nurses to launch and scale their businesses. She is the host of The Nurse Shark Academy Show© which interviews and spotlights nurse business owners and leaders in healthcare. She is a public speaker and has spoken on numerous topics on a national level. She is a contributor to articles on electronic and print media such as Entrepreneur.com, The Minority Nurse, LinkedIn, as well as a guest on numerous podcasts.

To reach your host, https://hihello.me/p/30801bee-4180-448d-a6b2-0bf6754ece87.

Podcast Title: Leading Through the Chaos in Business

Episode: Surviving and Thriving in Economic Downturns, Market Shifts, and Turnover

Host: Tina Baxter

Powered by: The Nurse Shark Academy

Welcome back to The Nurse Shark Academy Show Podcast — the place where nurses learn how to build, grow, and lead thriving businesses without losing heart or purpose along the way.

 

Today’s topic is one that every entrepreneur — especially nurse entrepreneurs — will face at some point: leading through chaos.

Whether it’s an economic downturn, a rapidly changing marketplace, or frustrating employee turnover, chaos can make even the most passionate nurse-business owner wonder, “What did I get myself into?”

But here’s the thing: chaos isn’t the enemy. Chaos is the classroom. It’s where your leadership is tested, refined, and ultimately proven.

So in the next few minutes, we’re going to unpack how to lead with clarity and calm when everything around you feels uncertain.

Let’s start by naming what chaos looks like in a business.

For some of you, it’s the economy tightening — clients spending less, contracts getting delayed, or reimbursement rates dropping.

For others, it’s the marketplace shifting — new technologies, regulations, or competitors that seem to change the rules overnight.

And then there’s employee turnover — that revolving door that can drain your time, money, and morale.

Here’s a mindset shift: chaos doesn’t mean failure. Chaos means movement. It means the world around you is changing — and your job as a leader isn’t to resist change but to navigate it.

Think of it like this: when you’re in a code blue, the room is chaotic. Alarms are sounding, people are shouting, and everything happens fast. But a good nurse doesn’t panic. She focuses, prioritizes, and leads.

Business leadership in chaotic times works the same way. Your calm becomes everyone else’s anchor.

Let’s talk about money, the part that makes most business owners squirm.

 

Economic downturns happen. Markets dip. Clients pull back. But the businesses that survive — and even grow — are the ones that stay strategic instead of scared.

 

Here are a few practical things you can do:

 

1. Know your numbers.

Look at your expenses, revenue streams, and margins. Cut what doesn’t serve your mission, but don’t just slash blindly. Protect what generates value — your people, your marketing, your client relationships.

 

2. Diversify your income.

If you’re a nurse consultant, add an online course. If you own a clinic, of