Managing In Turmoil

I am not too proud to admit that managing k2awards in this environment has not been easy. We have ridden the internet wave to become kind of big for our little industry. This past fall, however, everything changed. Competition has become fierce on the internet just as growth in internet spending is slowing. This is particularly true in our industry. From bit players who have everything drop shipped, to bigger dealers that are cutting price to keep up volume, competition hits from both end of the spectrum.

To combat this tough environment, we are taking advantage of the change in Washington to change our business. Yesterday, the new president took the first step in addressing the issues facing the nation by acknowledging that we have issues. Unfortunately, he did seem to lay a firm framework as to how we are going to address these issues.

We took it upon ourselves today to outline the issues facing our company: the intense competition, the decline in employment, the missing discretionary dollars, and the nagging operational issues. I then outlined a framework for how we were going to act. We reiterated the freedom (and responsibility) for everyone to look at every part of the business to identify and ACT UPON issues in an urgent manner. This urgency is required in all aspects of the business regardless of the seeming importance. Urgency in putting out orders. Urgency in improving processes. Urgency in training employees. Urgency in cleaning up work spaces. Urgency in maintaining equipment. Urgency in promoting the business.

We have to act like there is no time. Because there is no time.