December 29, 2009

Many of us take the opportunity at year end to look back and reflect on the positive, the negative, what we wish we had done differently, and what we plan to do in the coming year.  This time, as I was thinking about 2009, I couldn’t help but think even further back through this past decade.  There have been a number of extraordinary challenges over the past several years, but during all of those challenges, I have consistently found small business owners to be sources of strength, optimism, and resilience.

When I first realized the meaning of resilience, it was from the small business owners in Battery Park City (a community located the few blocks south of the World Trade Center), where I was living 2001.  I noticed that although very few people remained in the area that Fall, the local, independent video store was open for business.  “People need movie rentals now more than ever,” the owner told me.  The nearby independent pharmacy likewise re-opened, while many chain stores were closed.  And, when the owner of a neighborhood restaurant held a holiday open house, he told me that he recognized the role he could play in “helping people re-connect with each other and the neighborhood.”  It was then, as I recognized the commitment of the small business owners to the community, that I made a personal commitment to support them in return.

Over the past several years, this commitment turned into a passion, one made even stronger during the recent recession.  It seemed like no matter how bad the economic news has been, I have been able to look to business owners like Rebecca Cenni of Atrium Staffing, Sharon Brown of EEOC, Bill MacDonald of KolMac LLC, David Benaym of Movmnt Magazine, Paul Rosenfeld of FanMinder and others – and find inspiration and optimism.

Their resilience – and yours – inspires all of us at OPEN, and we constantly look forward to hearing from you.  The desire to share your stories with others was what started me writing this blog earlier this year.  Now, with my last article of 2009, I say “thank you” to all of you on OPEN Forum.  We appreciate the ideas you’ve shared with us and each other – reminding us daily that the best place to find inspiration and optimism during touch times is still among small business owners.

I also thank our incredible contributors – Guy, Anita, John, Scott, Jill, Henry, Adam, among many others – your insights and advice have informed so many incredible stories of resilience. And our partners and the OPEN Forum team – we have the most dedicated and talented group of people I know without whom OPEN Forum would not be possible.

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.  Let’s all toast the resilience of small business… from the decade behind to the decade ahead.  

If you have story of resilience you’d like to share, please e-mail me at marcy@openforum.com.  I also invite you to follow me on Twitter @marcyshinder and OPEN Forum via @openforum.

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Join the conversation ( 6 )

• Marcy Shinder 2 years 4 months and 20 days ago

  

  My thanks to everyone who commented. I am thrilled by your responses, and am very much looking forward to this new year. Best wishes to all for a happy, successsful 2010.

• DAVID BENAYM 2 years 4 months and 26 days ago

  

  Thank you Marcy for your constant support. Your positive energy and sharing of the "who's who" and the "who's doing what" within the small business community. Sometimes I feel like you're kind of a precious GPS that helps us getting warnings of coming traffic jams so we can find ourselves our own secondary itinerary in order to continue our journey and make our companies successful and in constant evolution and of course, reinvention. Thankfully you are more than a machine, since you also succeed to convey through your articles how truly passionate you are about your mission.Merci Marcy, Happy 2010,David Benaym

• Jon Deakin 2 years 4 months and 27 days ago

  

  Hi Marcy, I'm new to the group, thanks for allowing me to join like minded professionals. I just read your blog on "How To Be More Resilient" and thoroughly enjoyed and identified with the experiences you shared.Thank You - Have a wonderful New Year!!

• Melissa Moritz (Miller), CAS 2 years 4 months and 28 days ago

  

  Wonderful Marcy, your words and OPEN's mission are so admirable. It has been incredible to watch all that your team does for small businesses throughout the years. Julie Levi and I send regards and warm wishes for a Happy New Years to all. melissa@progressivepromotions.com

• Anita Campbell 2 years 4 months and 28 days ago

  

  Fabulous points, Marcy, about small businesses that are resilient and serve their local (and online) communities. It's easy to distill business down to dollars and cents, and forget about the human side of things. The human factors are what makes business "REAL."Happy New Year to all at OPEN Forum.

• PAUL ROSENFELD 2 years 4 months and 28 days ago

  

  nice sentiments Marcy... and thank you. I think it speaks volumes of American Express that the company has invested so much in Open Forum during this same time. Have a fantastic New Year, I'm sure we're all in for much better times in 2010!! Paul@Fanminder.com