Home Office Success Stories -- March 2003

Who knows what tomorrow holds? This simple question has never been more appropriate than today - literally. At 8:01 p.m. tonight, the deadline on President Bush's ultimatum to Iraq's Saddam Hussein will have come and gone. Many American entrepreneurs are saying, "It's about time."

We're not war mongers; many wish we weren't poised for battle at all. But American business has been riding the fence for months over the potential for conflict in the Middle East. Unwilling to expend resources without a clearer vision of the future, almost any small business - or vendor serving business - will acknowledge business has ground to a halt. New projects lie dormant as companies wait out the future. More than once I've heard business owners beg of the president, "Either shoot or cut loose."

Research from the National Federation of Independent Business shows the stress of potential war is placing on the U.S. economy. Its Small Business Optimism Index fell in February, with "war jitters," bad weather over the past quarter, high energy prices leading to "sales and expectations for the economy showing significant deterioration" and some of the worst sales results in two years.

And the rest of us say, "We needed a study to tell us that?"

Rather than lament our current condition, as small business owners, we need to stay the course. Slow times are ideal times to revamp marketing materials, reach out to older, dormant clients, or do some new prospecting. Get out and network with peers and prospects. I've filled my dance card lately with speaking engagements at local organizations - a great way to spur biz dev and stay focused on the goal of growing the business. In a word, we need to be optimistic.

And of course, while the NFIB research shows a slowdown, some of us have seen bright spots; some are downright flooded in new work. The past six months have been a mixed bag of fits and starts, prospects and projects, promises - and promises lost. Ultimately, it's up to the entrepreneur to make something - anything - happen in the organization. To quote my friend and Small Business Advocate.com Jim Blasingame, our futures can be summed up in 10 words: "If it is to be, it is up to me."

No matter what happens today, here's hoping for the safety of our Armed Forces around the world, and may the world emerge a better place tomorrow.

by Jeff Zbar
Author of: Teleworking & Telecommuting: Strategies for Remote Workers & Their Managers
($14.95, Made E-Z Products, September 2002)