Image Up Advertising & Design

Still The New Normal By Steven Leach, Ambassador for the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce In March of 2010, I wrote a chamber newsletter article titled, "The New Normal." The premise for the article was that American small businesses and families alike were experiencing the effects from our most recent recession. The underlying sentiment of that article was that each of us was experiencing a new financial reality, a time of less prosperity. Our financial security has been challenged. The parameters for employment, health insurance, regulatory environment, Social Security, and our own personal security have changed significantly over the past decade. I feel that my article on "The New Normal" is as relevant today as it was back in March of 2010. We've all experienced a "reset" in our lives and expectations for our careers and financial security. I feel like the "new" has become more normal and (as a nation) we've come back to a slightly humbler time in American history. It's certainly my hope that America has taken stock of a history lesson that has affected our entire country and transcended multiple generations. Generations X and Y, are you paying attention? American households and small business owners are taking fewer risks. Like so many small business owners, I've had to adapt to the new realities of a changing industry. There's a greater sense of skepticism and distrust among investors today. Much of that has been proliferated by my industry through poor stewardship. I believe the term 'stewardship' tells us so much about our own accountabilities for which we have responsibilities. Patience has become increasingly warranted. We are blessed as Americans in a free country where most things are possible. Stewardship applies in the confines of our homes, our towns, our counties, our states, and our nation. Good stewardship should be a priority for households, businesses, and government. Good stewardship = sustainability. I've learned to accept that there exists a new normal. I will close with an appropriate reminder of the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce slogan from 2010: Success Through Optimism. Keep moving forward. The younger generations are counting on our unrelenting desire to succeed and create opportunity for future generations. BEAUMONT NOW | NOVEMBER 2013 3

• Cover