If you're in business for yourself, you know what's coming. The dreaded July and August. I've met them before, looked them in the eye, and dared them to take me down. They almost did last year. Work dried up. Not a sound from anyone, except for the occasional, "Yah, me too"s. In my second year, I am fairly certain that the entire global economy goes to Disney Land for the summer. Do the global roll call and you hear a sustained echo answering you back: "Sorry, I'm on break."
This is no surprise, but the reason for it is seldom revealed. The fact is this: Kids run the global economy. That's right. Kids. Millions of them on summer break, spilling grape jelly on the marble floors of the homes of CEOs and power brokers, falling off bikes, needing bandaids and stitches, fighting swimmer's ear, searching for pajamas for the sleepover at a friends' house, needing rides to birthday parties, requiring one more layer of sun screen, bug spray, always one more. There are basketballs and tires to pump. There are relatives to visit. There are snacks to buy.
It's summer, and even the Husbands and Wifes of Power in Business find it impossible to *not* spend time with their kids. What started as a fad is now a mandate. This is when the powerful schedule family trips, take the vacation they rolled over from last year.
For me, July and August are when all of my clients forget that they have a strategy, decide that September will be here soon enough and there will be budget to blow through before the end of the year.
For 8 weeks, they forget that they'll ever have another performance review. They forget about getting ink. They forget that anyone might visit their Web site and wonder why nothing's new. They forget they have a boss, because She's on vacation with the family. They like to meet for drinks. Have company picnics. They don't care much about invoices, especially about paying them. They let projects drag through the lazy days and weeks of summer -- the same projects that would have *had* to be completed overnight any other time of the year.
And so, for you, for me, for those of us working without a net on the Net, we say, here goes nothing. Hi there Summer. Hold on tight. The autumn deadline panic will come all in good time. The business will come back when businesses come back. Be patient, go the pool, and enjoy your own kids. Treat them well because the children are in charge of the market.
Just don't spend any money, because come August, you're going to need it.
