Terrible Economy = Terriﬁc Opportunities

#330 3/2/09

This economy is creating a ton of momentum.

And guess what?

This is NOT the ﬁrst time.

Ironically, things are not necessarily what you might assume.

For example, many Americans think Henry Fordinvented the car.

Nope.

It was Mercedes.

Many business people think focus groups are a great tool, but nofocus group has yet innovated, invented or created anything of value to society such as ATMs, drive throughfast food or even WIFI.So it is with the economy.

Many people feel this is a terrible time for business.

For sure, many businesses aresuffering.

Most I suspect are suffering because they assumed the future would be like the past and did notinnovate or evolve their products and services and they did notguard their attitudes.

And the marketchanged.

Nothing is more common.

Yet, this time around, it was sudden, severe and wide spread.But historically, down economies were the birthing grounds of several companies.

Here

s just a partial list ofthe ones you probably already know:

Dell ComputerFord Motor CompanyHyatt HotelsBurger KingIhopFedex (Federal Express)Microsoft CorpCable News Network (CNN)General Electric (GE)Hewlett Packard (HP)Proctor & Gamble (PG)International Business Machines (IBM)General Motors (GM)

Keep in mind there are thousands more that you have never heard of and remain unknown.

In spite of acrummy economy, in some cases MUCH WORSE than our own, companies started up, kept their optimism,focus and executed their game plan with hard work, hard work and even more hard work.Oh, and that optimism rubbed off on others and they went on to found even more companies.

For example,the guy who worked with John Patterson at NCR, started a company called IBM and his name was Watson.

How many companies have been started by people who worked at one time at IBM?

Tons.So the economy sucks.

The forecast is terrible.

Yet, there are needs.

People, businesses and governmentsstill have needs for product, for service.

For YOUR product and YOUR service.Maybe you have no desire to start a company.

Great.

Bloom where you are planted and work like hell toboost, enhance, grow, encourage, support and grow your own department, group or ofﬁce with your employer.

That

s how businesses will survive and even thrive in our economy.

Stay focused,stay positive.

Surroundyourself with like-minded people.

Shun those who aren

Be patient and stay with it one day at a time.The economy is creating a ton of opportunity.

What will you do with yours?

Mark Stephen WareCEO & PrincipalPerception Labwww.perceptionlab.biz