Hope Springs …

As the weather in Northeast Ohio turns warmer this week, we are all trying to think positive. After a very harsh winter—bad weather, bad news and bad tempers—I think everyone is poised for a warm up.

Often, I believe that businesspeople act like coldblooded animals. No, I don’t mean in the heartless sense of the typical metaphor regarding management. I mean that we are all changed with the cold weather. The lack of sunlight combined with the snow/rain/sleet puts people in a foul mood. This winter, the mood has been made far worse with the economic conditions.

So, now is the time for renewal and hope. We are all hunkered down but need to rise up and get moving. The marketplace won’t be kind to everyone. We all need to grab whatever advantage we have and improve it. Take our shortcomings and improve. The victory will go to the strong. When the market was booming, everyone was making money and growing. Now, each of us must be more diligent and disciplined.

As the grass starts to green up and the trees are budding, take time to plan and renew your efforts. Maybe the sunshine can put us all in a better mood and improve our operations at the same time.

Off topic note to readers in the Midwest—I recently was able to visit a great art exhibit. The Canton Museum of Art in Canton Ohio is showing a fantastic display of decorative kimonos. This show is great. My wife and I took our four children to see it. I will confess that I was worried about the kids’ reactions to having to give up a Sunday to look at “a bunch of painted clothes.” But, they all loved the exhibit. They are now really excited to go back to see the sumo wrestling match that is being put on in conjunction with the overall theme. I encourage everyone who is in the area to visit. The show goes through the end of April. If you need additional motivation for the kids, you can also tie in a visit to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the same trip.