Change, as we all know is constant. It never ceases to happen. Everything alters, in some way, as every millisecond passes. Usually the changes are gradual, they almost sneak up on us and catch us unawares, until we have a moment of personal reflection and realise that we are now in a completely different job/life/relationship than when started. I am sure you have had that experience. Luckily, for most change is good, it happens as we grow and develop. However, sometimes, it happens at a rapid rate shocking us and leaving us sitting staring at the lights of the traffic like a startled bunny. Feeling a bit lost, trying to spot something familiar, something that reminds us of where we were, who we were and what we did. A bit like running a small business today I think. The Banking Collapse(aka The Recession/Credit Crunch) and the resulting over flow of media attention highlighting our blighted societies flaws (Mp Expenses, BNP in Europe, Fat Cat pay, National Debt, Knife Crime, Government Handouts and the need for 'Quantitative Easing' (Not a cure for constipation)) have left us in a new, and relatively, uncharted business world. So what do we do? Sit transfixed on the lights of the on-coming articulated lorry? Desperately try to spy something in those lights that resembles the old world so we can go and grab a tight hold of it and ensure we protect, its now largely obsolete, existence. Or, do we do something new, something that will have a lasting impact on our lives and those of the people we develop, employ and connect with. I am choosing the latter, I am choosing to seek new audiences, new connections and new inspiration. The question is where to start? there is still a market place, there is still commerce and trade so the 'Business' part still exists. We do have, we are ourselves, customers so this part of our world has remained the same. What we don't have is easy money that, along with easy lending and nice plump bonuses, is now in the process of disappearing. We have a greater amount of mistrust as opposed to the usually higher levels of trust we used to have for the rest of the world. This has impacted on how we buy and who we buy from. We have a thirst for knowledge and now (as has happened over the last decade) we can access knowledge and up to date reporting whilst lying on a sundrenched beach with our family. We are, or can be if we choose to be, far better informed. We can learn and develop at home, watching live media and whizz bang elearning packages, we can connect with millions of people via one simple blog or mail. Our world has shrunk, now nearly everyone is in reach. We lost on one hand, but, on the other we have a whole new world of opportunity. I am working on a project at the moment, supporting people who have recently or are being made redundant. It is a free service available to businesses across the North West and aims to support people back into work or aid their business start up. If you are a HR Manager/Rep or have been, or are being made, redundant I would really like to hear from you. Mail me at richard.saunders@prohrltd.co.uk