It was early fall in 2002 and a friend had taken a job in Singapore.

As local custom dictated, a group had gathered in his condominium in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood to say goodbye to him and his family. They were only going to live there for a few years, but it was still hard to see them go. That night as we had a shot of vodka for old times’ sake and hugged goodbye one last time, he looked at me and said while excited about this great new opportunity he was also sad. I asked why. He said because he knew things would never be the same again within our friend group when he returned. And he was right.

My friend moved to Singapore along with his amazing wife and beautiful daughter for three years before eventually returning to Illinois. Over time, their family would grow to include a son and another daughter. While very good professionally, he was an even better father.

As we all got older, most of us got married, started families and our careers took on even greater importance in our lives. That’s not to say we lost touch or anything like that. The when and where we interacted all changed.

Instead of playing in a co-ed softball league on Friday nights in the summer and solving the world’s problems over pitchers of beer afterward, we gathered to mark milestones in each other’s lives. We’d also get together once a summer to golf and laugh with one another. Things may not have been the same, but they were still good. And our life experiences, both good and bad, were shaping our friendship in positive ways.

So why do I bring this up? Since the onset of COVID-19 in March of 2020 all any of us has wanted to do is put it behind us. And why wouldn’t we? Over the past two years there’s been so much trauma, stress and loss, both personally and professionally. As we strive to regain control, it’s common to compare our businesses to pre-COVID metrics or simply try to go back to the way things were.

But doing so is tremendously shortsighted and limiting.

Let’s face facts: The foodservice industry continues to grapple with the impact of COVID-19. Stubborn supply chain challenges persist and labor may never be the same. The U.S. economy continues to adjust to some of the major developments from the past two years. The current business environment is nothing like 2019.

Further, we as people have changed considerably the past few years. As we return to the office, those experiences from the past two years come with us along with our laptops and smartphones.

As a business leader, acknowledge these changes and view them as opportunities. What have we learned about ourselves and our businesses that make us better and more resilient? What can you do to add value not only to your clients but to your teams? Because given the labor situation, retaining and engaging employees goes hand in hand with pleasing customers.

What sits before you is a golden opportunity to enact real change for the better that can enhance your personal and corporate brand. The only way to do that, though, is by having a clear vision for the future.