Have you got your 'I survived 2009 badge'?

16/12/09: 'Have you got your 'I survived 2009 badge'?'- This year has seen the financial industry turned on its head, the earth tremble in anticipation of global financial collapse, bonuses ‘slashed and taxed’ and governments bail out banks and major corporates.

The reality in Australia may not have been as bad as we thought, and some say the tough times aren’t over, but for those who lost their jobs, or thought they might, this year has been painful and fearful.

How do you feel at the end of 2009? Survived? Relieved? Battered? Complacent?

Personally - in an industry where marketing and comms budgets have been slashed and I’ve seen fellow agencies close and go out of business, leaving colleagues stranded - I am glad to be here.

With tenacity, a great team, belief in our ability, bloody determination to pull through, the type of hard work that only small businesses really understand, some dark times as well as some highs, adjustments, compromises and cutting out the ‘nice to haves’ we are still here. Although we experienced a quiet first half of year (like many) we have survived. The relief and joy is tangible – it tastes good.

There by grace go I... but the good news is that now we have a solid pipeline of interesting work for 2010, my team are standing tall, with a sparkle in their eye, not too wrung out and while I am looking forward to a break – I’m also really looking forward to 2010.

We’ve taken on graduates (the main lump of the unemployed), created work experience opportunities, hired out of work full timers and made no redundancies. But it has been a tough year – no doubt.

In retrospect, the stimulus package did nothing for small business – although I am grateful for a year of the lowest housing mortgage rate I have experienced living in Australia.

I am disappointed that with 2 million small businesses in Australia the government both State and Federal still seem unable to really service us well. We employ, we pay taxes, we educate – and we do it pretty much alone.

Though I have to acknowledge the tax office for your offer to small businesses this year to pay BAS by instalments - that was a positive gesture and I know it helped many.

The highs for me? Well, new learning with invitations and promotions to various Boards and moving into a new sphere of representation.

Our ‘left field’ project promoting the Jesus All about life campaign bringing with it the satisfaction of a job well done, a hugely successful campaign and the rewarding experience of having a team pull together on a contentious, unusual topic.

The joy of seeing my eldest daughter move from child to teenager with grace and the sad loss of my Mother in law, years too young. Worth reminding ourselves of what life is really all about.

With global crisis in mind, we answered the call for innovation with two new products, launching our new CEO branding service TaurusProfile™ and TaurusEngage, our new social media monitoring and engagement service.

Get ready readers for the true impact of social media in 2010 – it’s here and will have a bigger impact than we’ve ever seen before, particularly for small business. Watch this space!

And I’ve enjoyed this blog – thanks to your great comments and feedback. A chance to really drill down into issues and be well researched and prepared when subjects (CEO pay, women in business, the GFC, cheesybites etc) come up in conversation. I look forward to what 2010 brings!

I read somewhere yesterday that families on average, on Christmas day, have their first falling out by 10.07am - so defy the trend and bite your tongue.

Think Christmas cheer - contact a lost friend, do a good deed and remain peaceful. I wish you and those precious to you the most peaceful, happy Christmas and a 2010 that is better for you than any other year for the best reasons.

‍