2025 - Interesting Times Ahead!

What a fascinating time we are living through right now, for life, for business, for our country.

I for one am so excited to see how this year pans out. There is so much to get my teeth into and utilise in our own business and for all of us to gain from.

As a business person I don't think there has ever been a more challenging time to be running a company. Just when you thought the knocks had subsided, along comes another one! Oh... and another.

However I thrive on challenges so I'm up for the fight... are you?

As we end the first month of the year I have seen our sales desk as busy as it's ever been, enquiries sky-rocketing and overall a great start!

On the flip side from the wider outside world, I have seen large, once reputable, businesses file for liquidation, smaller boutique businesses deciding to close because the year ahead looks too damn hard so why keep working an 80 hour week for no reward, and in some areas a depressive outlook on how 2025 will shape up for all of us.

I have found that a lot of things come down to your own personal attitude. How well you are equipped for the highs and lows and how you visualise the year ahead.

Having been in business for over 30 years I have seen many ups and downs. Take the last 5 years for example. Who could have predicted the impact of covid in their business plan? Or how quickly a change in government and a long awaited budget would impact the payroll for so many SME's at the end of 2024.

What I absolutely love though and what I am hearing more and more of is the archetypal British Bulldog Spirit.

A general business attitude that is split between hard determination and forthright resilience that says 'we're in this for the long haul and we'll do whatever it takes to succeed'!

So what generally tends to happen and you'll be able to see this historically is that a big wave of news will appear. Maybe we've been expecting it and have been guessing at what the impact will be.

Then it happens.

The news reels flow with information. Everyone is scrambling for information. What is going on? Who will be affected? How do I process this?

What follows is a period of noise. No matter where you look, people are discussing, forums are set up. Everyone has an opinion.

Then we take time to absorb and pick ourselves up form the bombshell.

What does it actually mean?

And this is where the difference comes in.

Positive spins and glimmers of hope will begin to appear from those willing to look and listen beyond the noise and sensational headlines.

Maybe it's not as bad as we thought.

What historical situation can we relate to that will help us navigate this issue?

Maybe if we apply X,Y and Z we will get through this.

And then Boom! Off we go again.

Keep learning, keep applying the teachings from history, keep yourself challenge ready and things, I believe anyway, will be ok.