RECESSION EFFECTS

"The global recession has driven 100 million more people below the poverty line and has caused 61 million more people to lose their jobs world-wide in the past two years, says a new U.N. report that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was to present to the General Assembly on Wednesday."

Source: The Wall Street Journal, Joe Lauria, Wednesday, September 23, 2009, p A-5.

UNLOCK-IT-FORUM

This past Thursday THE STRATEGY EXPERT served as a Solutions Provider at the Unlock-It-Forum. It was great to find nearly 100 business leaders getting together to positively discuss the opportunities ahead instead of negatively talking about the past economy.

I told the leaders that the opportunities that are out there today are greater than anytime, perpahs in the past 15 years. The playing field is "flatter" and small and medium-sized oragnizations now have a realistic chance of earning market share.

I think leaders are beginning to think strategically and plan for the next growth stage.

PREDICTION COMING TRUE

Earlier this year, the government announced that if it did not move forward with the stimulus package, the unemployment rate could go as high as 7.5%.

I predicted that if the federal government did move forward with the stimulus package, the unemployment rate would go as high as 10% to possibly 10.5%.

This week the official unemployment reached 9.7%. Closer to my prediction than that of the economists in Washington.