As I write this, forecasts of an impending snowstorm of some significance are being whispered in my ear by social media and concerned friends. I look at the calendar and I see that we are less than two weeks from the start of Daylight Savings time (we lose an hour at 2 am on March 8) and that spring baseball has started. Even though winter is holding on, the seasons are changing.
As much as warmer climates entice us every cold day in February, living in an area that has four seasons does remind us that life is cyclical AND always changing. The same is true for businesses. Some businesses have obvious seasonal cycles. Big John’s Portable Toilets, one of our newest members, is busier in the summer when more outside events occur. On the other hand, people need appliances and furniture year-round, at least that is what Rite-Way Furniture and Appliance counts on!
Regardless of how seasonal your business is, if you’re successful, you are paying attention to and anticipating the changes the calendar brings and the changes that are happening regardless of the seasons. Many of the successful companies I know develop a business plan and then work and massage that plan as they encounter changes. One of the tools companies use to do that planning is data.
At the Greater Freeport Partnership, we are working to identify the sources and to provide the data that make your planning easier and more effective. For instance, this Wednesday, we are going live with a LiveStories data portal on our website, greaterfreeport.com. It will have a wealth of information about Stephenson County in a graphical format and will be updated on a regular basis. Check it out after Wednesday!
