Herets hoping!

f,"lrnsr, A HAppY belated New Year and I hope that you had time with family and -[ friends and have been able to recharge your batteries for the year to come. As we enter our fifth or even sixth year of recession (for those of you who do not believe it is over), let's hope that we start to see a turn round sometime in2012. As I wrote last month, I am seeing and hearing some guarded optimism for a better year. Certainly 20l l was very disappointing and I know difficult for many. Let's hope for calmer waters and sunnier skies and especially better Spring weather that we so badly missed this year!

As I write this column midway between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I think back to all the things that happen throughout a year and especially when it is a not so good one, it is easy to feel down or question your judgment as to whether you made the right decisions or business moves. I think though that we can be often too hard on ourseiner and while I believe in introspection, let's look at the bright side of life if only for a few minutes. Much of what we have dealt with has been outside of our control and we have had to invent new ways to do business or stay in business, unlike perhaps never before in our business lifetime.

First, if you are reading this column, for 99+Vo of you, you are still in business. No mean feat let me say when you consider how this industry has been decimated. The business you own or work for has gone through the most traumatic time in the recent eras. Your company is still providing jobs and income for everyone seated around you and also for many of your customers and their customers. With all the businessesmany decades old-that have shut shop, you should be thankful that you have survived. Yes, it has not been easy, but you have achieved what many could not.

Second, be thankful for those customers who have stayed with you through thick and thin. Customer loyalty is what we all strive for and it was certainly easier a few years back. But we should be thankful for those that have stuck with us. If it was not for them, then your company might also be one of the casualties.

Third, thank your staff. No business owner can do it on their own (although many think they can). Employees have had to buy into a whole new agenda, accept swirling change and a lot of uncertainty. Yes, it's true some might have wanted to leave but couldn't because there were not many jobs out there. But think about how much fun it has been coming into work each and every day in this environment. With often stagnant wages, lost commissions and bonuses, cut benefits, covering what two people did. Yes, you get the picture. The pressure has been no fun and yet everyday most go overboard without an awful lot of praise or reward to help keep the lights on and serve customers to the best of their ability.

Fourth, thank the people who supply or support your business. Like you, they have wrestled with many of the same problems. Sometimes they have had to support you or take a chance on you in some way. When you read how badly banks have acted to this industry, what about thanking those that really stood by their promise of being with you in the good and the bad times (hopefully there are some). To those that gave you some extended terms when you needed it, to those who got you that shipment ahead of the queue. We often take them for granted.

Last of all, many of us have people at home who support us through thick and thin. Those who have to live with our insecurities and worries, have to put up without travels and craziness at times, but love us anyway. None of us can do what we do without the family behind us in every way.

Even in the dark days we have still much to be thankful for. We are still lucky to live in this countrv. even with all its frailties at this time. It is still the country where everyone wants to come and live and work.

Again, my best wishes to all our readers for 2012. Let's get going!

Alan Oakes. Publisher aioakes@aol.com www. building-products.com

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