I’ve had a real sense lately that the economy is inching forward.  I don’t mean on Wall Street or in board rooms. I mean in the hopeful glint I’ve detected in my clients’ eyes. And in the cautiously expectant expressions on retailers’. faces. Something is up.

I realize most business people have been tortured and beaten down by the spiraling losses of these last few years, made appallingly worse only by the unbounded optimism that preceded it. There was such an astonishing loss of innocence with the recession that seasoned business professionals were caught totally by surprise and unprepared. Many not particularly talented or deserving business people enjoyed unparalleled growth and riches while the economy sailed along on the back of foolish and dangerous loans and patently criminal behavior. But eventually the piper came a calling. And everyone had to pay up.

For the longest time since the great fall I rarely saw any optimism, or enthusiasm, or fight left in legions of business owners. Workers never felt less secure about employment knowing that termination could come at anytime. Virtually every industry lay waste, workers and management were dazed and shaken. And no matter how many earnings reports, or forecasts, or recovery plans were put forth nary a person seemed to have a lick of hope that conditions were improving. It’s dragged on and on, and what used to be known as “consumer confidence” became a mere memory like eight track tapes and rotary phones.

But I have observed long and hard with a keen eye to the emotional pulse of the small business owners. I have peered at their reactions, and response, and doubts, and only very recently have I seen a glimmer of hopefulness returning. Managers are looking further out, slowly hiring, making longer term plans and taking ever slightly more risk again. The terror that filled every cubic inch for what seemed an interminable sentence, is giving way to an ever so wobbly new normal. No one dare think business will ever be as it was five or more years ago. However, people are a funny lot. We have fortunately short memories of unmentionable pain and loss enabling us to pick up and move onward even when unwise.
The pendulum always swings back again and we will eventually regroup and dare to hope for far better days. Some will experience great affluence in the next chapter, many will survive to muddle through. But, there certainly is no denying that, by indicators other than the government’s or trade organizations, there is a new stirring. I believe it is finally time to cast off that horrible pall that’s cloaked us for such a long long time and back into fiscal health

So Lance Armstrong has finally done it. He’s crawled to the bully pulpit of Oprah, she in turn gave a head start scoop interview to her BFF Gayle King, and now every news and magazine,and late night show is a buzz with his mea culpa. But here’s the thing, Americans love our celebrities. In fact, it borders on something far darker, worship. And yet, inevitably we will dance and sing at the demise of those very same celebrities. Why do we do this? What is our obsessive fascination with watching these people fall? It happens so frequently we could set our watches by it.

They are, after all, just humans. Mere mortals everyone. They make all the same embarrassing, foolish, jack ass mistakes that the rest of us make. They drink, and drive, they fall in love with the wrong people, they say the wrong thing at the wrong time, they coddle their obnoxious kids, and they screw up just as surely as all of us do. They just do it under the scorching heat of tv cameras.

But for some reason we skewer them on their way down. We delight in impaling them as they spiral out of control. Is it because we’re grateful it’s them and not us? Could it be that simple? Really? Because I’m pretty certain we will still make all the mistakes, and faux pas, and missteps we are bound to make. And when we do it won’t make the nightly news or late night talk shows. Thank God!

So would it kill any of us to allow them their foibles and their humanity and not have every discussion for days and weeks ad nauseum focus on some poor guy’s too public fall from grace? Surely we have better things to discourse in like an assault weapons ban and who will come up with a real solution for the country’s ridiculous fiscal disease.

But it was also a year filled with people really reaching out to one another. Each challenge and tragedy brought out the best in us. Every time it seemed like it would be hard to survive one more heartache someone somewhere did something noble in the face of adversity. I was filled with joy when I would see citizens, neighbors, and strangers step up to lend a hand or shoulder.

No one knows what 2013 will bring. But I know we will continue to see misery and hardships. And I also know that when those do occur people will demonstrate their humanity and support. That inspires me.

I wish everyone a joyous, prosperous New Year.

I “own” all the fall out from my stand. I am 1000% responsible for my choices and actions and I know it often won’t win popularity contests. But this is the only life I’m SURE I’m getting and I do not want to have saved anything up at the end. I want to be completely drained, spent, used up, depleted.
 When I reflect on my own amazing kids’ birthdays, or other friends and loved ones I am confronted with how blessed my life is. I have freedoms millions in the world are fighting and dying for today. I have abundant food and shelter. I have more friends, love, and support than any one person should have. And I grew up with the benefits of caucasian skin, in the sixties, in an upper middle class home, received a great education, and the opportunity to test life out. I was taught to appreciate that life from early on and to give back to others, it is my joy and priviledge to do so. I have choices and the ability to exercise those choices as I see fit. All in all it is a charmed life.
I know this isn’t everyone’s prescription for happiness but it is mine.

I have been working with businesses for thirty years and rarely do I meet with clients who appreciate all the time, effort, money, creativity, determination, persperation, inspiration, work, and false starts that go into building their brand.  In these days of drive through everything and instant everything else, clients want it all today.  No, they want it all yesterday.  Well kids, Coca Cola’s been building their brand for well over one hundred years and even they have made giant missteps along the way.  Remember New Coke?  If you don’t, you are too young to be reading this – go to your room!

Every business has to craft a message to their consumers and it doesn’t happen overnight.  Every company wants people to know who they are, what they do and why they do it. But, and this is a big one, they don’t want to invest in making that happen.  Especially today. Most businesses have all but dropped marketing as a priority.  Rest assured, they will learn this harsh lesson eventually.

Never has there been a more crucial time for making your brand “Top of Mind” to your audience. There is so much noise out there your business has to work smarter than ever to get your message across, have your customers know you, and want your products or services. It’s not rocket science, if they aren’t thinking about your brand they won’t be buying it later.

Hell, I drive a Saab as does my husband.  I still haven’t been able to accept their demise.  I may never get over that one.  But that brand once meant something to millions of devoted fans and where are they today?  I never imagined the brand I fell in love with would disappear.  And don’t tell me Volvos are virtually the same thing, not to me they aren’t.

What products or companies have you seen go away that you wished hadn’t?  How many of them might have made it through had they done a better job at marketing?  Having a good or even great product or service isn’t enough.  Just ask any Saab lover……

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So imagine my surprise when the comments I was getting here went from a several a day to hundreds a day.  I don’t even know if they are legit, many appear not to be.  But it is nice to think that someone is getting something out of this forum. There’s a curiously repetetive sytle of writing that appears in so many of them I can’t help but think I am getting spammed.  Ignorance isn’t bliss though since I spend time reading them all and deciding wether they should be posted or not…And to the people that feel the need to correct my spelling or admonish me for getting things wrong all I can do is apoligize. But every once in a while I get a note or comment that appears genuine.  And it makes a difference to feel that this effort is somehow helping people.

I’m reallu not sure how any of them found me, BING and Google I guess.  But I can’t help but chuckle at the thought that I have some little band of closet followers “across the pond”.  Friends have been asking me where my ideas come from for posts and honestly there is no master plan here, isn”t that obvious?  I’m about as directed as a boomerang.  However, I am committed to the dialogue this opens and I really enjoy the opportunity for self expression.

I’m hoping that eventually I will buy a small island in the Pacific and my legions of devoted followers will live out the rest of my life in complete adoration and devotion to me.  Stay tuned here and I will divulge how you can aid me in achieving this goal.  Heck, if the bullied school monitor in NY state could amasse over $400,000 in a few days in much deserved sympathy form the world, I can hope to stock pile enough for my getaway can’t I?

I should be asleep.   I have had a headache for a lot of my day BUT I lived in San Francisco a zillion years ago and I am watching www.wewereherefilm.com on PBS and becaus I did live there at the dawn of the AIDS epidemic I had to watch this remembrance. In fact, my sales territory at the time was the epicenter of AIDS Gound Zero, the famed Castro District.

As a straight woman I was largely invisible in the neighborhood. Not my best assignment   But I will never forget how touched I soon was by the plight of anyone who had contracted this disgusting plague. Not just gay men but the unamed and unknown, the Ryan Whites, the hemopheliacs and unknowing women whose partners secretly infected them.  I lost a cousin that was a breakout fashion designer in NY and a really successful rising star.  And my heart ached for them all.

It was the beginning of the polarization that so blights and paralyzes our country today. The ultra conservative religious squaring off against anyone who didn’t live according to their personal beliefs. It became fasionable to  be “holier than..” despite the fact that tens of thousands of worthy, brilliant, loving, contributing people were dropping like flies.  Their civil rights were challenged. Their deaths were ridiculed. Their loved ones were ostracized when they most needed love and compassion and healing.

In those early days I was ashamed of America and our most “gross national product”: fear and loathing.  For a primarily Christain nation we became a nation of haters gripped by fear of the unknown.

The legacy is that drug companies finally did get interested in the profits they could make from AIDS.  The lesbians and gay male communities really came together to fight back. Our government was largely shamed into acting most likely because even they had gay loved ones or people who’d contracted the disease from innocent blood transfusions.  Magic Johnson’s couragous public stand did help make it more  palatable to average Americans after losing talents like Arthur Ashe, Randy Shilts, Rock Hudson and so  many others .  And thankfully gay marriage is now legal is 7 states despite fanatics attempts to prevent it.  Tolerance and acceptance of different types of people is rampant in my daughters’ circles and generation thank God.

HIV/AIDS remains but today it doesn’t need to be that death sentence.  It never was “The Gay Cancer” we were told it was. It’s human kinds’ burden. Yours and mine. And wonderful valuable infected people have more to live for than ever.  I’m grateful I got to see this program. It reminded me of not only what was lost but how far we’ve come.

I used to wonder why he never left our buccolic corner of the world for headier playing fields like New York or LA but I think part of the reason he remained was to be near all of the dozens of people he helped to shape.  There’s a small army of us in New England still.  And I suspect someday we will all be remotely activated like tiny robots doing his bidding and ascend on Fenway Park or Gillette Stadium and begin his eveil plot to take over the world!

But I digress, I started this rant because last night I attending the fantastic Cumar Marble & Granite’s 20th Anniversary celebration at the way -too -fabulous Liberty Hotel in Boston.  What an evening!  Crafted primarily by the ridiculously talented  Dawn Carroll, the Over My Shoulder Foundation Co-Founder and Executive Director,  featured speakers like Governor Dukakis, a legendary mentor, and his mentee the very grateful Atty. Rick Dyer, and mayor of Newton, Setti Warren all of whom were inspiring.  The music, focused around co-founder of Over My Shoulder Grammy winner Patti Austin, and friends, was amazing.  http://www.overmyshoulderfoundation.org/

The evening and the organization simply espouse one thing; be a mentor and enrich someone else’s life. So along with sponsors like Design New England, Leslie Fine Interiors, Ken Vona Construction and others, the evening kicked off the balloting for the Design New England’s MIDDIES (Mentors in Design) awards 2012.  http://services.bostonglobe.com/consumer/dne/middie.aspx 

The MIDDIES salute design professionals in interior design, architecture, building, landscape design, and related fields, who share their time, expertise, and wisdom with the next generation. Last years’ winners were the very deserving Kim and Ted Goodnow of Woodmeister Master Builders. 

 If you know of a deserving person to nominate then pay it forward and take the time to do so.  I know I will be submitting my mentor and if there is any fairness in the world he will be the next honoreee.  I know honors and awards have nothing to do with the genererous mentoring he provided so many on their paths.  Still it would be lovely to think I can do something for him after all these years.

So why write about this condition?  Well it is one seventh of our week and lives. And I am personally rather fond of Fridays.  It is a day when one can shed worries and be hopeful.  Of course, one could do that every day, but how many people do?

Twitter has thrown all caution to the wind and completely gone against the grain with Follow Friday.  Essentially each Friday, people recommend their followers or favorite people to others. On Twitter, you’ll see these recommendations with a hashtag #ff or #follow friday. These posts may be specific as to why a certain person is being recommended.   I love this movement though I rarely participate.  It takes a widely held belief and completely blows up the premise by promoting the exact opposite action. Of course if someone is tweeting Follow Fridays at work it is precisely as unproductive an activity as one could participate in unless you’re being paid to play on Twitter.

So I guess communicating effectively on Fridays depends on your intent.  If you want to lob nothing but soft balls Friday is an excellent choice.  If you are hoping for an extraordinary response and huge impact Friday may not be your best choice.  Keeping it light seems to be the order of the day….  Do you want fries with that?