2009 – New years, renewed hope and renewed optimism.
Observing on human behaviour, this year is probably the tipping point of economic situation.
Tipping Point: Q2 2009?
I’m not an economist or a finance expert. But as an entrepreneur, I predict mid-2009 will be the tipping point – things will ‘suddenly’ turn from bad to better.
Why mid-2009?
Q1 2009 is not the time – business is still slow, and budget has been exhausted in late 2008.
Q2 2009 is likely to be THE quarter to watch, as businesses are ready to roll with the replenished budget. Having thousands of businesses ready to go all out with the replenished budget will oil the economy’s rusty wheels, and will eventually bring better business to most entrepreneurs – this, as how the recession itself started, is contagious.
You will see yourself end up raking more business than before. You will see that economic outlook and sentiments are suddenly changed for the better.
The butterfly effect kicks in.
The butterfly effect – the one which begins and ends recession
What is butterfly effect?
Basically, the theory is explained as this: one, single, flap of a butterfly’s wing located in, say, South America can create a climate change in, say, Asia Pacific region.
In layman’s term, the butterfly effect describes an event started in one part of the world that will affect another event in other parts of the world, regardless the geographical boundaries.
The a.k.a – the chaos theory.
Perhaps my explanation is not accurate – However, for whatever explanations and details we might have, the recession was, undeniable, started as a butterfly effect.
The sentiments and outlook are transmitted virally – it’s highly contagious and caught people off-guard.
However, what goes down must goes up – once again, the butterfly effect will eventually better the economy, almost unnoticed, initiated by the tipping point I mentioned above.
Now, get ready to recover
Economic recovery, as well as economic downturn, will also caught people off guard.
The best thing you and I can do is to get ready and be prepared.
Use this Q1 2009 to do whatever you can to prepare yourself – budget a marketing campaign, develop a new product, start a new business, find a new partner, secure a new deal – anything you could’ve think of as an entrepreneur.
Even better, make those things as your New Year resolution.
Infect other people like a virus!
What’s better, share your vision with others – blog it, announce it, tell people about it – whatever. The focus is to get your optimism ‘infects’ other people, like a virus.
Start from your closest ones – your family members, your friends, your neighbours.
You will eventually see that a ‘flap of your wings’ will affect other people… even to people overseas.
The premise – if bad things like Israel’s attack on Palestina could move the world, if things like shoes thrown at Bush can draw reaction all over the world, good things can spread virally, too.
The question is – are you willing to be an agent of change, or do you choose to bury your head in the sand?
Ivan Widjaya
Agent of change
Image by HaPe_Gera.