Finding Opportunity

Is talk of the "crazy economy" getting you down? Are you ready to move on? Any time adversity opportunity rears its ugly head, it's human nature to "duck and cover" and wait out the storm. It’s been 5 years since the economy so drastically changed. Haven’t we all done enough waiting? It’s time to take charge and take action.

There are some bright spots on the horizon of the business world: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2011, the number of new business establishments increased by 29,316. They also report many areas of positive growth are expected in the next 7 years. In 2020, The BLS anticipates the following industries will experience at least a 2.9% annual job growth: community and vocational services; professional, scientific, and technical services; commercial and industrial machinery and equipment rental; and construction. And we will only go up from there! Various arms of the healthcare industry are expected to grow by 3.2% most likely driven by the longevity of our aging population. Home health care alone is projected to jump 6.1% annually. Technology and computer design and wood manufacturing both weigh in at 3.9% growth. And here’s the best news of all: management, scientific, and technical consulting are expected to grow at an annual rate of 4.7%. Everyone loves a consultant these days! The increasingly complex global economy has created the demand; exceptionally qualified and skilled professionals provide the supply.

This is direct proof that there is opportunity inside diversity. It’s up to skilled professionals to ask the right questions to uncover those hidden opportunities. Help yourself and those around you look for opportunity within adversity with these 4 powerful questions:

      1. Have new needs presented themselves to you in these adverse times? Are there underlying customer needs to be aware of since things have changed?

      2. What resources are being displaced because of the changes? These could be people, materials, products or services, intellectual property, or technology.

      3. Can you see a way to use resources from your answers to question 2 to fulfill a need you identified in question 1?

      4. Can you apply your success with questions 1, 2, and 3 in additional markets such as new customers or new products?    

Evaluating your answers to these 4 questions can help you and your community climb above the storm and see opportunity instead of only adversity.