Recession dues

1. Partners become vendors
2. Services are commoditized
3. More for less.
4. Less for more.
5. Client service is king.
6. Hope springs eternal, but is often dashed.
7. Fear is in the air.
8. Everyone bids on rfps. No one gets them.
9. Government work is glamorous.
10. All recessions end eventually.

Must sound like I have the recession blues. Actually no. ….just paying the recession dues. The changes in the power structure that happen everytime the economy goes into a dive. The change from partner status to vendor status. The state where client expectations go through the roof, but at a much lower price point. The climate where creative teams pull out all the stops to win or retain a client—go above and beyond the call of duty—with little acknowledgement. Lots of cattle calls—strutting our stuff, filling out huge rfps—and they are cancelled for lack of funds. A rocky roller coaster ride characterized by sometimes too little work, and sometimes too much work—but the constant question of adequate manpower always coursing through our brains. Too many staff? Too few staff? Or just right?

But I am bullish. New clients on board, more work from existing clients, new accounts finally coming to live. We are starting to see some of the fruits of our own internal revitalization, some of the effects of our own push to be relevant in this crazy world. Being frugal in flush years has paid off, yet again, and we are just waiting for the economic cycle to turn just a few degrees. Meanwhile, we are doing our best not to sing the recession blues—knowing that we will certainly get through this by paying our dues.