The Economy Stinks - Now What?

It's been a pretty quite month here in our house and with business. No major overnight trips, crazy deadlines, or scheduling issues (you know those client calls when kids are wailing in the background or pounding on the heating vents.) While you would think that's a good thing, I'm definitely uneasy. As most of you know, I always have some major event happening or on the horizon. You figure, in just the last three years our family has experienced the birth of two children, moved once, launched two businesses, traveled to Europe, and my husband has changed jobs twice. And that's just what I can think of at the moment.

I guess what I've really be pondering is the current business and economic climate. Let's face it, it hasn't exactly been roses out there. Yet, when I'm in talking to my clients, many of them are doing well or at least they're holding steady. They don't seem to be getting hammered like the talking heads on the evening news or Pres. Obama would lead you to believe. That should be a good thing, right? So why is it that they are skittish about investing to improve their operating processes? I do have a few clients that are really going on the offensive in this market. Incredibly focused on eliminating the waste in their processes, improving their quality, and taking market share away from their competitors. These clients are fun to work with - they have an amazing energy, great leadership, and a clear vision. Then I have most of my other clients who might actually be in a better position with their backlog and cash flow that are afraid to make any changes. They are pushing out projects, holding off on training, all the things that could help them improve their profitability. I don't get it.

I've been talking to my clients since about August or Sept. about investing in these areas during slow times so they are in a better position to weather these economic storms and emerge stronger. It's not just talk either, I've been looking at my own business to make sure I'm offering the services clients want, watching my costs, and actually expanding (I'll be bringing on my second person next month.) At the same time though, I'm holding off on finishing my basement/office. I really think my clients would rather I use the funds they're paying me to provide additional services to help them instead of carpeting my floor. Plus, my kids love that they can draw on my office floor with chalk (it's still concrete.)

Ok, so this really is not my best blog entry, but it's just something that has taken up so much of my thoughts lately. I believe so strongly in manufacturing and the american work ethic and I want so desperately to see these companies succeed and grow. I guess I just get frustrated when I know I could help them and they don't want to invest in helping themselves. On the other hand, are those clients I would really want to work with? I don't know..... Thoughts?

Staples and Schedules

Ok, if you've noticed my tagline, you'll see that it reads part-time CEO and full-time mom. The reason I picked it is two-fold, first because I don't work a traditional five-day week. The other reason is because I think most moms regardless of how many hours a week you work are still a mom and when a child is sick or gets hurt, you a usually the one that stays with the child.

Last Tuesday, my son got his first official injury. He was running laps around our downstairs when he tripped or bounced into the couch (I'm not really sure what happened, I was trying to find and pick up his socks so we could go to our cell group meeting at church.) That spun him around and he fell backwards into the doorway from our family room to the foyer. Of course, he began really crying and I quickly swooped him up. As I'm sitting there rocking him and trying to sooth him I decide to just quickly check the back of his head to make sure everything is ok - that's when I saw the blood. He had split the back of his head open. Ed and I actually stayed quite calm, getting him cleaned up a bit. Ed took him to the ER for staples and they were back home in less than three hours.

Now, here's the challenge, I had two meetings scheduled for the next day, plus a dentist appointment. What do I do? As a mom, I want to stay home and baby my child, as a CEO I know I have commitments to my clients. So, I waited to see how he was in the morning. My dentist appointment was at 8:20 am and my son went with me just as we had planned - and you know what - he was fine. So I went to my first meeting about 25 minutes away then stopped back at home - he's still fine. In fact, he has to be told no running in the house today. Three staples in the back of his head and it hasn't slowed him down one bit. I worked in the basement for a few more hours before my afternoon meeting 10 minutes away. The boy is still fine.

Step two to this process is getting the staples out. My son has to go this Thursday at 2:30 pm. I was supposed to be meeting with a client two hours away that day. Ed has a meeting at 3 pm that he can't change or move. So, guess who changed their meeting? Yep, I did. Because like I said at the beginning, it doesn't matter how many hours a week you work, when you're a mom - you are always a mom and that is your first priority. So I will be traveling north to met my client tomorrow instead and taking my son to the doctors on Thursday to get his staples out. My kids may not remember all these things when they're older - I just hope they remember that their mom was there for them.