An article on Entrepreneur.com "In This Economy, Everything's (Re)Negotiable" got me thinking about how hard it is to make changes in a business.  Aside from contracts and other commitments, it's difficult to retrench because it means redefining how you think about yourself and success.  Running a business is hard work because you have to be able to  adapt to the market with the necessary steps to keep your business healthy--especially when the economy goes limp.  Times like this can be a great opportunity to realize that renegotiating contracts and cutting costs are NOT signs of weakness and failure.  The real success stories are the people who recognize that the time to make change is BEFORE you need to.  They have the internal strength to roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to keep their business alive and well.  This means not getting hung up on the size of your office, the view out of your window, or the kind of car you drive.  If you … [Read more...]