Thankfully, the global economy appears to be heading out of recession. For CEO's, business optimism is sure to rise with such news as history as shown a healthy correlation between a strong economy and increased spending (and Groupon better hope so after declining Google's offer - WOW!).
That said, skepticism is sure to linger among all enterprises no matter what the financial analysts forecast for the future. We are readily seeing companies vocalize their uncertainty in asking questions such as:
What does 2011 hold for our industry?
Are corporate IT budgets going to increase in other industries?
Should I hire more salespeople?
As a sales growth firm that has experience working with many companies across the country, we at entreQuest find that these questions to be completely appropriate as we approach a new year of business in a new economic environment. However none of them are the most important question to which we turn our attention towards now. Bluntly stated:
Are you willing to let your business grow, shrink or die?
Everyone talks a lot about change. President Obama won his presidency on a platform of change. Tupac and David Bowie both scored hit songs titled “Changes.” And my personal favorite, Charles Darwin had an exceptional quote on the idea: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
Since change went from being the constant of our economic environment to the culprit of it in this recession, business leaders must decide how they will adapt to its mysterious nature as we enter 2011. So again, we ask:
Are you willing to let your business grow, shrink or die?
Before the recession, it was often said that some 90% of all businesses failed.
And yet your doors are still open.
In the current state of the recession, the unemployment rate is reported at over 9%.
And yet you still have a job.
These facts in themselves prove that you have what it takes to survive even if you did so just barely.
Regardless of your corporate strength or staff intelligence, in the spirit of Darwinism you must decide if your company has what it takes to adapt for survival in the upcoming year. Make no mistake about it for this is not a time to waver. It's a matter of thrive, strive, or say good-bye.
If you have yet to make this decision and truly resolve, you are in what we call the grape zone.
Wait for this next week... and GO RAVENS!
Joe
