Gulf Breeze News

Promote Your Page Too

Splash! Magazine

Promote Your Page Too

Poll

Do you support the proposed Master Plan for Pensacola Beach

Yes, I'm all for it

Yes, but it needs some tweaking

No, it's too expensive

No, leave the beach alone.

View results

Mantra reprise: "If we can just get through this . .

Like many small businesses, Gulf Breeze News is affected by the roller coaster of the economy. In fact, we've rolled with so many punches lately that we are almost completely round!

My co-publisher, Vici Papajohn, and I have a saying that has become shorthand: "If we can just get through this …" and we immediately break into laughter because it seems that we had one obstacle after another in our path. We learned to accept each of these trials as new chapters of the book we may someday write.

We started Gulf Breeze News in October of 2001, one month after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Many local businesses slashed their advertising budgets as people hunkered in their homes in panic. "If we could just get through this …," we stated, but eventually, people did resume their daily lives and Gulf Breeze News prospered.

In 2004, Hurricane Ivan hit, wiping out many businesses and destroying homes and lives.

"If we can just get through this …," we joked, by now seeing the humor in the fact that we were again dealing with what seemed to be a huge obstacle. We rebounded anyway by making changes to the way we did business and offering discounts on advertising to the businesses that were suffering.

Ten months later, Hurricane Dennis destroyed a lot of what was left of our area, scoring a direct hit and causing some of the formerly resilient residents to decide to move away, leaving the area with a glut of homes for sale. "If we can just get through this …," we said, and it took a while, but we continued to offer community news and advertising and revenues continued on a level pace.

Vici and I mused, "If we can just get through 2008 …then things will be better." Well, now, it is 2009 and it is evident that the economic crisis is spreading nationwide.

However, there are many businesses that are still in business and new businesses are opening every day. Do these business owners know a secret they can share with the rest of the area?

As business owners, we need to use every tool in our toolbox, including advertising, creative marketing, reducing prices and giving exceptional service to our customers.

People may not have as much to spend, but they still need goods and services. How will they decide which businesses to patronize?

For the next few weeks, this column will focus on local businesses that are keeping the faith and refusing to let the economic crisis write their epitaph.

If you have a suggestion for a business to feature in this spot, please contact me at lisa@gulfbreezenews.com.