Hang on... help is on its way

As her company celebrates its 20th year in business in 2012, Annah Stretton asserts that to remain the same is to lose relevance 

It’s still tough out there and I for one, am totally perplexed as to why we haven't yet turned a corner on this terrible recessive trading environment that we have all been battling for so long. Though we have high spots, trade ultimately is as unreliable as when we were sitting in the middle of what is now known as the ‘Global Financial Crisis’.  When evaluating all the problems within Spain and Greece, I’m sure the expected bailouts from their EEC neighbours will not help stimulate their broken economies. They will simply wipe government debt and the whole vicious cycle will start again, so it will not be a sustainable solution. Preferably it’s about making positive lasting changes and doing things differently. It truly is time for people to wake up to the way their governments are endeavouring to balance the books. Money-in needs to equal money-out and as with any good business, there will be some things that we simply cannot afford. I have heard many people talking of a zero cost budget. Basically, if a business cannot increase their sales they simply stop spending and I’m sure there are many operations looking at this option.  I liken the sales retail drop that occurs during June and July in NZ to the birth of my children. I distinctly remember being pregnant with Edward, my second child and thinking ‘this child birth thing isn't hard’. I can’t even remember being in much pain. Yep, I'd decided delivery really was a walk in the park… not!  Halfway through Edward’s birth, experiencing extreme levels of pain, I realized it really was a bad as they say, if not worse!’ Giving birth hurts, don't let anyone tell you differently!