The Business of Love

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Surviving A Recession

The nation's economy is currently in shambles. Home prices are falling, the price of food is rising and gasoline prices are so high you'd think the stuff cured cancer. Recessions are tough on everyone, but three pointers can help you not only survive, but thrive in tough times.

Define Your Strategy

When things aren't going well you need to focus on what's important. Many businesses have a lot of products and services they provide with vastly different margins and differing levels of expertise. During hard times the wise move is to focus on high margin, core activities.

Trim Expenses

Now that you've identified your focus it's time to start cutting off excess. Say hello to plain Bic pens (the ones with the cap you actually have to take off before you can use the pen) and goodbye to those fancy Parker clicky pens. Adios to catered company parties. Hola to chips and salsa.

Strengthen Your Weaknesses

Every company out there has areas they know could use some improvement, but never have the time to address. With a slow economy these shortfalls become magnified to current and potential clients. During tough times you can't afford to give clients a reason to say no to your products and services.

Relating to Dating

So what exactly is a recession in your dating life? Well, it's just like a recession in the economy. Opportunities and resources are scarce. Perhaps you've moved into an area with few potential dating prospects or your new job requires 60-hour work weeks. Anytime you feel that outside influences are cramping your style I submit that you could be in a recession, so you've got to enter survival mode to outlast the famine.

Define Your Strategy

Desperate times require desperate measures, but they don't require settling. All of the time you spent in the promised land should have taught you what you like and don't like. Remember. Write it down. Don't forget. Now that you're in the desert you'll need to look even harder to find that oasis of love. I repeat, don't settle for the "best of."

Trim Expenses

In the desert your resources are stretched pretty thin just to survive. Time is likely your most valuable resource. Finding suitable ladies or guys will now take you much more time and effort. Multitask. Do you plan on watching the big game? Invite some prospects over or go watch it where you can meet some prospects. Do you like exercising? Play some pickup frisbee at the park (if it isn't coed this isn't helping) or enter a local 5K. And don't just put yourself in good situations, take advantage of the situation. Talk to people. Introduce yourself. All of the situations I've mentioned have a common interest built in. Starting a conversation won't get much easier than "Hey, how did you get so good at frisbee?" It's open-ended and contains a compliment. Money!

Strengthen Your Weaknesses

If you feel you're in the desert, your prospects might feel the same way. They're analyzing you with a fine-tooth comb for flaws. Minimize them as much as possible. Feel like you've gained a few pounds? You may want to drop those. Bitter about your breakup? Be optimistic and outgoing. Whatever you feel your flaws may be, take this opportunity to improve. Good luck out there.

Labels: , ,

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

The Stock Market: Part I

One of the most interesting phenomenons in the business world is the stock market. Millions of shares change hands every day and billions of dollars are made and lost for sometimes dubious reasons. Does this sound like anything you know?

The Stock Market = The Social Scene

I have yet to find anything in the usually sane and logical business world that mirrors the social scene quite like the stock market. Just imagine that you are a stock. You have a valuation, a price on the open market, a history, and are constantly changing just like any company. So let's work through a little example for illustrative purposes.

Handsome Inc. (ticker symbol STUD)

This company is very attractive to investors, aka "the ladies". Analysts (friends and family who have an in-depth knowledge of the company) describe the company as tall, dark, and handsome. Deeper analysis also shows this company to be on very solid financial footing. Cash flow is positive and assets are growing faster than debts due mainly to the fact that the company has graduated and is working full-time in the marketing field. The company has been on the market for some time, and despite a couple of potential purchasers, interest in the company has been low.

So you see, the language of the stock market can accurately describe the social position of an individual. In our next post we'll look at a hypothetical scenario between a company and a potential investor.

Leave a comment and I'll address it in the next post.

Labels: , , , ,