Winter is coming, here.
Soon 2022 will be in the rear-view mirror.
The road ahead may, no, will be treacherous for many.
Often, I hear business owners and other “real estate” based businesses gloat on how the good times will just keep coming! Ya-Hoo!
Why? Because, apparently SWFL, specifically, Naples is just THAT special of a place!
“We are insulated here!”
“No bubbles here!”
“Its paradise and the whole world wants to be here.”
Usually, that’s the kind of non-sense I hear from people who have been here, like, 15 minutes.
Ok, not 15 minutes but a few years. They certainly were not here before 2005.
A few months ago, I stood up at my usual weekly network group meeting and warned people to get ready and get their businesses ready because Winter was coming. Economic winter. Why not? There are seasons in life, in our economy, so why would we believe that Naples, Florida or the country is immune? Well, my comment was met with disbelief, obliviousness and even reprimand by a “group” leader. I was told that we didn’t need any negativity.
Negativity? I can’t wait! I love economic downturns because I’ve been through enough of them to know that there is so much opportunities in them.
Can anyone argue that the real estate market is completely overblown and unsustainable?
How about rents? Insurance? Taxes?
How about inflation? 8%? Who are they kidding?
I don’t have a single client who hasn’t seen at least a 20-30% increase in materials, services or even shipping for that matter. 8%? Hell, some of my clients are paying more than that in just cost of labor!
When inflation today is measured with the same criteria used in the 70s and 80s, our inflation today is actually 16%! Sound familiar to you Gen Xers or Baby Boomers?
What’s next; gas lines and empty food shelves?
Here’s my point: Winter will come whether you accept it or not. If you are a business, now is the time to strategize and decide how to deal with more inflation, fewer customers and how to get them to buy.
Are you prepared to take advantage of a recession? Do you know how to take advantage of Stagflation, and Deflation after this Inflation?
If you are a Baby Boomer Business Owner, thinking you were going to sell and move n with life in the next 2-5 years, have YOU accounted for what’s about to happen? Maybe you’ve just committed to working that extra 5-10 years until the “time is right” again?
Fortunately, you know someone who can help.
I specialize in helping business owners not just survive but thrive even in economic downturns and facilitate the building or their business into an asset of “value” that can be sold for a significant amount of money when the time is right for you!
But you have to start NOW. Just drop me a note or call for a complimentary session to see where you stand and where you need to go.
Don’t wait….the storm is brewing right now.
Sergio DeCesare,
Certified Business Coach
Certified Business Exit Strategist
Certified Business Value Builder
Licensed Florida Business & Real Estate Broker
#1 Amazon Best Selling Author for Business Ethics & Leadership 2015