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Framing our Future |
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Jim Magay |
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Popular culture moves at a dizzying pace. Just a few months ago, the pit bull with lipstick, Sarah Palin was introduced to the American public. Overnight we were swamped with questions about her glasses. "What were they?" "Can you make me a pair?" and "How soon can I get them?" Also comments like," You'd better stock up on those frames!" were heard along with disclaimers that, "I don't want you to think that I'm influenced by celebrity fashions!"
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Well, most inquiries (and sales of Palin specs) have now stopped (or rather, moderated). I'm not sure if it's a political message.
More to the point, perhaps the reality of our current fiscal meltdown is sinking in to a point where high end items like $400.00 Kawasaki frames may not be the wisest purchase in a tight budget time.
Other events are moving rapidly as well, the stock market is dramatically roller coasting. The controversy over the government bailout is still raging.
People are incredibly cautious about buying anything extra right now. What are you doing to stay in the game? Are you promoting more, are you buying less, are you buying smarter? Are you sorry you opted out of eye care plan provider panels? Have you let help go? Are you negotiating with your lab for lower prices?
Most of us who read this publication are by definition, small business people – (This is a great time for us, ‘cause all the politicians love to pat us on the head and say, "You are the economic engine of this great country!" - while giving trillions of our dollars to the jerks who caused our current economic mess – guess we don't need any help).
Hopefully we won't be looking at 1929 again, because as the WSJ says:
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We have the FDIC. Depositors aren't going to lose a dime.
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The Fed is cutting interest rates now, not years down the road.
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The bad loans were made against tangible assets, houses, instead of the more intangible asset of stocks. Equity can dissipate in keystroke, but you can't just vaporize a house."
As small business people hopefully we are flexible enough to dodge most financial icebergs, after all my grandfather (our founder) survived the Great Depression (what exactly was "Great" about it?) with pluck and determination, I'm sure with a little luck, and some inspired leadership in the White House, we all can do the same.
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