Cross-posted to dansmolen.com and thegreensuits.com:
Greetings from the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. where, over the past weekend, the Godzilla of snowstorms (a.k.a. Snowzilla) dumped a record 23 inches of the white stuff on the ground.
While the three days of public school preceding the Christmas break have been cancelled, life is returning to normal.
Mail delivery has resumed. Ample supplies of bread, milk, and toilet paper have returned to the shelves of area supermarkets. And as you can see, there is great joy in the land; the conditions for sledding are truly amazing!
So, how ’bout that global warming?
2009 is a year that most of us would prefer to forget. The job market is still in the tank, and may remain that way for awhile. The official unemployment rate is currently at 10 percent, but really, somewhere between 17 and 20 percent of the nation is “between jobs.”
There is a lot of shared misery. And it takes a lot for us to keep smiles on our faces as we wonder, “will this nightmare ever end?”
Personally, I believe 2010 will be our turnaround year. While the pace of the recovery may seem too slow for most, I do believe that there will be considerable improvement in the overall economy and our fortunes.
Already, there are positive signs: ambitious executives have decided to follow their dreams and become entrepreneurs. Men and women – who suffered downsizing earlier in the year – are using their time (and their nest eggs) wisely to refine their business strategies and marketing plans, and craft unique value propositions that they hope will turn their dreams of running profitable businesses into reality. I am pleased that many are looking to make it big in the green spaces (renewable energy, greentech, cleantech, and other verdant areas), or by helping conventional companies embrace the triple-bottom-line.
Entrepreneurs are key to turning around the economy and creating millions of new green jobs.
Yes, things are about to get better.
During the First Quarter of 2010, my new book – Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy - will be published. Currently, the manuscript is in editing and the dust cover is being designed. I am so pleased by the “buzz” this book has created; many of you have written to ask when and where the hardcover and e-book versions may be purchased. Those details are to be determined; however, Sturdy Roots Blog and the new The Green Suits website will provide all the details.
As you and your family gather for the holidays, please recognize that things are going to get better. Resolve that 2010 will be your breakout year – the year that you set the wheels in motion to start that great green business executive career you’ve long wanted.
If you have snow on the ground (like we do here in the Metropolitan D.C. area) then enjoy this highly unusual but wonderful White Christmas season.
Then, let’s all rock in 2010: it is going to be an amazing – and verdant - new year!
Peace.