Hi. I’m Rob.

Dear Recession,

I’ve decided that your time is up.  I’m done with you, and you are officially over. Over like Madonna and Guy.  Over like the Cleveland Browns’ playoff chances.  You are, as Stephen Colbert would say, dead to me.

My personal "Dead To Me" list, 11/25/08

You’ve been bumming me out for several months now, killing off financial institutions, car companies, and perfectly harmless countries like Iceland.  But from this day forward, I am living my life as if happy days are here again.  Because, dear reader, they are.

Even in bad economies–especially in bad economies–businesses and people adapt.  Hard times make us focus and prioritize.  Gone are the scattershot, unmeasurable ad campaigns.  They’re replaced with smarter, more measurable forms of marketing.  Companies that have grown fat and bureaucratic question the need for all those middle managers and flatten their organizations.  And speaking of flat, they realize that the world is flat, and they can outsource much of their work to experts who can do it faster, cheaper, and better.

Efficiency is only part of the story.  Down times are also a boon to risk takers and those that dare to dream big.  Google was born in the ashes of the dot-com crash.  HP started during the Great Depression.  Sixteen of the Dow 30 were started during recessions, including Microsoft (source).

And finally, recession or no recession, capitalism persists.  People still need Christmas and Hanukkah gifts for their babies.  Companies need energetic, creative talent that can see a downturn as an opportunity in disguise.  And all of us need to get the hell back up and start moving again.  Because you, recession, can’t keep us down any longer.  We’re over you.

If you agree and are looking for someone to help you power through it all, check out the rest of this site and let me know what I can do to help.