Riding the Storm Out

An ill wind is blowing across the landscape. Oil is at an all-time high. Illegals are “stealing” all of the jobs. Construction is slowing. Foreclosures are battering the banking industry. And grain is so expensive that chickens are selling their eggs so that they can feed their children.

Painting contractors across the country are seeing competition increase. New construction painters are entering the repaint market. Laid off painters are hanging out their shingle. Every hack who ever watched a show on HGTV thinks he can run a painting company. What’s a legitimate painting contractor to do?

I could offer all kinds of sage advice. I could tell you to increase your marketing, sharpen your sales skills, and tighten your financial controls. Or, I could tell you to improve your systems, spiff up your company image, and review your business plan. But I won’t do that.

I could tell you to suck it up and tighten your belt. Or, I could tell you to not worry and be happy. But I won’t do that.

Instead, I will tell you to do all of the above. It may sound cliché, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going. It’s easy to make money in an up economy. It’s easy to ignore the fact that a business isn’t operating efficiently when times are good.

Hurricane season just started. The local media is going through their annual frenzy to tell us how to prepare. Most will ignore their warnings, and when the first hurricane approaches the stores will be flooded with people seeking water and batteries. At some point the shelves will be bare and the unprepared will raise their voices to complain.

The time to prepare for a storm is before the storm is even approaching. If you wait you might find yourself fighting with others for that last bottle of water. By then it may be too late.

© BEP Enterprises Incorporated 2008