TIDBITS-6

T.I.D. – Today’s Inspirational Devotion

“He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through the maze of the most busy life. But where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incidence, chaos will soon reign.” – Victor Hugo

Victor Marie Hugo (1802-1885) The French born writer, has a literary reputation that rests primarily on his poetic and dramatic output and only secondarily on his novels. Among many volumes of poetry, "Les Contemplations" and "La Légende des siècles" stand particularly high in critical esteem, and Hugo is sometimes identified as the greatest French poet. Outside France, his best-known works are the novels "Les Misérables", 1862 and "Notre-Dame de Paris", 1831 (translated into English as The Hunchback of Notre Dame). Hugo is buried in the Pantheon.


B.I.T.S - Business Improvement Tips & Strategies

Recession-Proof Your Business: Volume 2

Planning Ahead Means Getting Ahead

Once a company starts losing its bearings and mooring and gets carried away by stormy economic tides it is difficult – if not impossible – to get safely back to shore. During a recession those who were barely afloat sink, those treading water drown, and those without a fixed compass get confused and lose their financial vision, brand identity, and connection to their primary customer demographic. To avoid these effects it is important to prepare well ahead of time for the eventuality of downward market cycles.

According to a January 2008 article published in BusinessWeek, market measurements and forward-looking financial indicators are important tools. Without them business owners may never see hard times coming and can be blindsided and have their cash reserves wiped out without warning. While no business leader has a crystal ball, those who do employ easy to read and understand metrics, benchmarks, and other tools for testing and evaluating performance are in a stronger and more informed position. They can sooner identify trends and more quickly adjust and adapt to changes, which gives them a tactical and strategic advantage over their less informed competitors.

Rather than simply shooting in the dark, those who have the proper tools can find targets and hit them. When profits begin to drift downward, they can realign their focus to hone in on them in a more precise and accurate manner and get back on track to profitability. Those who do not respond proactively to changes are at risk for not only wasting time and money, but also losing their valuable customer base and overall brand integrity and congruency.