Do you bullshit in business?

I'm convinced things are a lot worse in UK PLC than everybody is saying.

So many people are saying they are doing really, really really (etc) well but catch them alone and the truth comes out.

What is your take on this?

(For Les)

For me (touch wood) things are going really well. Setting up in this climate worked in my favour

Companies made redundent the guys that created their spreadsheets. So they need someone like me to come in and either fix their spreadsheets when they go wrong or make even to make changes to them.

Like the last recession, it presents a new set of opportunities to take advantage of

I also market myself in areas of the world that arent in recession, such as Switzerland which is activly devaluing its currency to keep up with the rest of the world

Chris, for me, no. We are having a good year. But we are a company employing just 5 people, so us having a good year does not represent a full scale economic recovery. It represents those 5 people being busy, money in the bank for each payroll day, and some profit.

Perspective is everything!

Plus we are just one sector. IT generally might be doing well, but manufacturing might not be.

The problem is we argue macro economic stuff from anecdotes. My b eing busy or not is great. For me. But not a statement of recovery.

If I was not busy, I would say so , though.

[Thanks Chris I was begninng to think I was on a desert island]

I think there is a lot of bullshit over small and large businesses - people are still buying stuff but their purse/wallet is thinner. I think a lot of us small guys would be inclined to be more open and say business is sh*te but the larger companies have market share to worry about and they will try to impress everyone about how well they are coping. As you say talk to the staff and a different story emerges.

The truth is everyone is hurting except those that do well when times are hard. pawn shops, loan sharks, pound shops, iceland [where its a third of the price] and cheaper services. UK holidays are more expensive than abroad yet are doing well [thats actually perverse].

I think a lot of companies will have to re-invent themselves and they way the do things to control or reduce costs - that's harder for larger companies who have fixed overheads (like premises, staff etc). But they will still have to do it. I see more growth in use of online services.

Depends on the sector, but exactly as you say people immediately say 'yeah things are good' but drill down with questions like, will you be laying staff? are you selling for less than last year? have you had to put your own money in to meet payroll etc and you get a different story.

You have to stay realistic re be positive but not deluded. The best example of delusion was by the BNI who had badges done saying 'I won't participate in the recession' that to me was crazy, the recession is the fact of life to ignore it or pretend things have never been better is unrealistic.

I'll tend to answer that "things are pretty good" but don't run away with the idea that I can currently pay all my bills from copywriting. I have the seminar side of the business keeping me going (and probably always will) but I'm still building the copywriting side so difficult to judge against last year. Getting my name about definitely helps and I've been doing that for the last six months.

Last year when I started 4N my stock answer was "lots in the pipeline", which was true. Nothing on the table for the first couple of months though.

From what we see it's a mix of the good and the bad.

Stangely enough, this is actually not too different on ground level to when we started 5 years ago. Starting and running a small business is incredibly difficult. Always has been, always will be.

Is it me or are Les, George and Paul forming a 'heavyweight' 4N response team

There are those who are doing well and those that are not.

Sadly there are many who will say they are doing better than they are because they have convinced themselves that things are good.

People need to be honest with themselves and if things could be better then find someone who can help them improve their situation or do it themselves.

It can take just one phone call or 1 to 1 to change someones situation

Yes. Wot of it?

Well my GP said I should lose (quite) a few pounds

If you want in you can be in but I thought you were a Promoter Paul - I was actually referring to Mr Dean

I am so sorry!!..I saw the word heavy and assumed that must mean me!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apologies Chris, didn't mean to hijack your question (lack of discipline).