Is the big “R” here or is the deal OK?

According to many, especially the news media and politicians, we are in the throes of a recession. Some idiots have even said we are headed for a depression! Yeah, and I am an opera singer.

Unfortunately, many of these people don’t have real jobs. You know, hiring, firing, making a payroll, paying bills, etc. An accounting professor once told me, “If you put 100,000 economists together, they would never reach a conclusion.”
I have noticed that many of our customers seem to be afraid of the future. In my opinion, “recession” is a state of mind. Look at Tulsa – low employment rate, building is up…especially downtown… interest rates are very favorable for the business borrower as well as the home and automotive buyer.
Gas prices are outrageous and food prices are rising every day. Does the good cancel the bad? It’s up to you, the reader, to make up your mind.
In all of my businesses we have started to cut back. We are watching our gas purchases; the people who drive company cars must pay their own gas bill.
One of the largest expenses we have is advertising. We are making our ad dollars go further by limiting what we buy and how we marked our products.
Expansion has been put on hold while we shore up our current assets. If a recession is in the future you must not overspend now. Create a cushion of cash and collect your receivables on time.
Our employees are kept aware of our current financial situation. When they understand what’s happening in the business they do not fear changes. You must be ready to make any changes necessary to maintain your position in the marketplace.
The glass is no longer full. But you can look at it as half full or half empty; there is a big difference.
Poll your customers to see what they are thinking and how you can help them. You can make a difference by your positive attitude and the ability to show why now is a good time to buy your product or use your services.
As for me I’m not going to participate in the “recession.” When I get depressed, I watch the news, and it looks to me that we don’t have it so bad after all. As for some of the naysayers, maybe they need a ticket out of the country. Trust me, the deal’s OK!