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The Opportunity Show Newsletter
From PerformXcellence |
Issue 6
Fourth Quarter Business Outlook
October 2009 |
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Dear ,
Here
we go, into the Fourth Quarter of what has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory for most of us. Of course our viewpoint is that remarkably challenging periods provide a myriad of opportunities as well. Case in point: Mark's overview of the fourth quarter business climate speaks to how businesses can reframe the questions they are asking about the economy and align themselves with the New Era of Business. Andrew discusses opportunities to make the best use of the remaining months of 2009 and position your company for the future. Rich Jones directs our readers to a recent U.S. News and World report on which cities currently have the most opportunities for entrepreneurs and career professionals. And in the cultural arena we offer our own review of Michael Moore's latest opus, Capitalism: A Love Story, and let you know about a true mega deal for the movie lovers in our community.
As you read the articles in our newsletter, remember that you're part of the conversation. At the end of each article is a place for you to comment and we want to hear from you, want to know what you think about the current state of affairs. What you write doesn't have to be perfect. We invite you to follow your gut and transform static text into a real conversation. And remember to take the quiz. Enjoy it all and create Opportunities for yourself each and every day!
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WHERE WE ARE NOW: the State of Business [Q4 - 2009]
By Mark Monchek
We really want to believe we are
on the road back. The stock market just cracked 10,000, holiday travel has come
roaring back, job losses have slowed. C'mon we're Americans and even a whoop
ass recession like this one can't keep us down for long. And, haven't we
suffered enough already? If you are thinking what millions of Americans are
thinking, you'll miss the real opportunity of this game changing economic
shift.
Let's
begin where all comebacks must begin..
FACE THE BRUTAL FACTS
If you think the economy is on
the rebound, consider this: there are
six job seekers for every job. Despite
what you may have heard, we're still in the depths of the current
recession. There are 14.5 million people
officially looking for 2.4 million full-time permanent jobs. That does not include the millions of people
who are not listed in the government statistics because they have given up
actively looking or they are underemployed (have a part-time or temporary job
but still want full-time employment). Or growing competition from the World War
II generation and Baby Boomers who were set to retire but won't because they
can't afford to.
Businesses are extremely reluctant to add jobs
or overhead because the economic outlook is still so uncertain. They have also learned to be more efficient
and make do with fewer employees and fewer hours. Even large companies that are back on an
aggressive growth path are slow to hire.
Two recent surveys found both job postings and employers' interest in
hiring to be at their lowest levels in two years. Job prospects are the worst in manufacturing
(down 47%), construction (down 37%), and retail (down 22%). By the end of the First Quarter 2009, 14
million American households (27% of all mortgage holders) owed more on their
homes than they were worth. Investment
in America's homes was 56% below its peak.
American spending is about $760 billion dollars short for the economy to
reach full employment. Even in the
sectors considered to have the best prospects, such as education and health
care, job openings have dropped 21%.
Despite billions in stimulus money, even government job openings have
diminished 17%. However, almost 50% of
that money has not been spent yet. So
there is some light at the end of the tunnel if you know where to look.
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Why The Fourth Quarter is Really the Launching Pad for Next
Year's Opportunities
by Andrew Levine
At The Opportunity Show we're all about reframing the way
you see the important components of your business world. The fourth quarter of
any business cycle is a perfect platform to examine how changing the way you think about
challenges and altering what you focus on can reveal opportunities that are
there for you every day.
Spend More Time in the Second Quadrant
Being productive with the way your business uses time is a
critical component of your operations.
The work of master business consultant and best selling author, Stephen
Covey, presents an opportunity to ramp up where and how
a business spends its time. Covey breaks
Time up into four quadrants:
1- Quadrant 1:
those things that are urgent and important
2- Quadrant 2: those activities that are important but not
urgent
3-
Quadrant 3: those things that are urgent but not important
4- Quadrant 4: those things that are neither urgent nor
important
To maximize your productivity, the two quadrants
where you want to
spend most of your time are Quadrants 1 & 2. In those two
quadrants, productivity is
enhanced by working on activities that have
great importance to your
business.
Read More
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 15 Recession- Proof Cities?
by Rich Jones
With
the recession weighing so heavily on our thoughts these days, it can be
frustrating to feel like we don't have any power over our own situation. A recent US
News and World Report study examines the 15 most recession-proof US cities,
and not surprisingly, most of them have a great number of government jobs. "The hardiness of government employment means
that cities with a large number of public-sector jobs will have the advantage of
greater stability than other cities."
Compiling data from the housing market and the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the article features some fascinating insights. But what if you don't work in the public
sector, and are not looking to switch careers?
Read More
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 Whopping Mega Deal by Rich Jones
Movies in the theater allow you to join in a communal
experience- it's far and away the best way to view a film. However, it's normally much cheaper to wait
until they're released on DVD and Netflix.
As Fall approaches, we here at the Opportunity Show are taking you to
the movies. Our Whopping Mega Deal involves
getting an unexpected bonus from a service that you may already pay for. For those who use Cablevision's Optimum
Triple Play package (phone, internet and cable), there are some great discounts
available once you sign up for a free rewards card. For instance, we saw Michael Moore's newest
documentary, Capitalism: A Love Story, completely free, just by going to the
theater on a Tuesday - it's as easy as that!
Read More
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Thank you for taking the time to read The Opportunity Show newsletter. Look for our upcoming October issue, and please forward a copy of this newsletter to your friends and colleagues by clicking on the link below.
Sincerely,
Mark Monchek and the staff at The Opportunity Show
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The OpportunityShow is a newsletter meant to help you think differently about opportunity.
We will show you how opportunities show up everywhere, even in these tough times, and how you can become a master at finding opportunity and making it work for you and your business. And, in turn, make for a better world.
To learn more about The Opportunity Show, PerformXcellence, or Mark Monchek,
please visit www.TheOppShow.net
PerformXcellence
1120 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, NY 10036
ph: 212-420-0570
fax: 212-420-0574
The Opportunity Show is brought to you by:
Mark Monchek, Publisher · Andrew Levine, Editor in Chief · Rich Jones, Associate Editor.
· Designed and built by Richard Berman and Jake More of VerbFactory
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 Are You Smarter Than A Fourth Grader?
Out of the ten digits, 0 through 9, which one appears as the
first digit (first position) the most overall in the world, or are they all equal?
Scroll down for the answer...
Benford's Law states that the number
One appears as the first digit of any and ALL numbers 30% of the time. One appears 5 to 6 times more frequently than
the number 9. So there you have it! To learn more about this fascinating idea,click here.
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