I think Sonny and Cher summed it up best with their song “The Beat Goes On” produced in 1967. Some of the words of their song like “mini skirts” may seem a bit outdated - and “Hey buddy have you got a dime?” echoing the 1931 Depression-Era song should probably be updated to “Hey buddy have you got a 20?” - but the essential meaning remains. Time stands still for no one and we have kept that in mind, especially in today's state of the economy. The Image Company has been in business for over 8 years now and it looks like we are headed into 2009 just a little bit leaner and meaner. I’m sure you can relate.
In October 2008 we had to make some hard decisions in order to maintain structure in the business. I chose to try and keep everyone employed and to cut other expenses where we could so that we could make it throughthe financial downturn. My home has a large foyer and living room area which includes 12 foot ceilings, so we drastically reduced down to what we absolutely needed and moved the essentials into a new space inside my home.
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So here we are with the beat still going on. We have maintained several of our key accounts and, despite all the negative reports we all see in the media, most people seem optimistic about life and the future in their organizations. The businesses that seem to be hurting the worst are those with overhead that they can’t control or other expenses that are fixed.
“In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.” Eric Hoffer (1902-1983, American philosopher and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Reagan just 3 months before Hoffer’s death in 1983)
Adaptation and learning what works best have always been the keys to success in business. We change with the times no matter what the situation may be. At The Image Company, video is still our main area of focus, but we have expanded over the past 2 years to do more photography, graphic design for print, web interactive and website design. As the market diversifies, we do too as we use our skills in a growing variety of venues.
While it is definitely a time for tightening belts, it is also a time for creative expansion and risk-taking. And the beat goes on…
