I think I’m a bit Angry.  No, maybe more like Concerned or Conflicted.  I don’t know??  So I’m Uncertain about how I’m feeling – join the club you say.  I guess I’m human (I think I’m not uncertain about that – beware of double negatives in these days of uncertainty.)  We live in a country that is dependant on Free Trade, especially agricultural free trade, in a time when global free trade is taking something of a hammering; where our country is quite simply running out of money, stopped growing and struggling with its identity (such stress always brings on navel gazing and sometimes results in a degree of radicalisation); where globally (and sometimes locally,) conflict, civil unrest, war, pestilence and mayhem fill our news feeds and imagery every day; where the disaffected, disjointed and sometimes downright delirious have the opportunity to fill our heads with their negative diatribe and invective via the modern scourge of humankind – Social Media; and where owners of your local café, dairy, restaurant, in fact any small business, are struggling for survival because of their customers’ mindset and bank balance negatively affecting what they spend and where.  And …………….  No, ENOUGH!!  I have written another two paragraphs of this, but it’s in the bin.  Let me get to the heart of what really matters right now in good old EnZed. We are an innovative, positive, go-getting, switched-on, people.  New Zealand has been First and Best in a long list of achievements over time – be they social, cultural or political; in sport and in all sorts of other endeavour.  We are a diverse, mature, well-educated democracy that invariably boxes way above its weight.  So why the hell are we in such a Fug?  Mindset is a wonderful thing, when it’s fixated on growth and opportunity.  But it can be destructive when its fixated on negativity and defeat.  Let’s turn the tide.  I don’t mean we should forget about the woes of this planet of ours, I mean we should look at ourselves and ask the question “what can I do to get this economy of ours growing, and so do my bit in making just a teeny bit of progress?”  We at Think Differently Group want to grow.  We intend to grow.  We have a Strategy to grow.  And we will, because we are bloody good at what we do.  A part of that growth, at the heart of that growth in fact, is providing real Value to both existing and potential clients.  I looked in the mirror the other morning, ignored the wrinkles and grey hair – it’s easier to ignore those things if you don’t put your glasses on – and made a promise to myself.  What am I going to do, what will my teeny bit of progress be?  My decision – blogging more frequently about the things that really matter to business, right now.  How can we grow?  How can we get our customers to spend more?  How can we shine just a little bit of light over the negativity that is in danger of drowning us?   As most of you know, it’s good strategy to be transparent about your actions – so you are held to account by those that you are transparent to.  So, my promise to you is to blog every 2 weeks – starting next Monday 7thJuly  – briefly and with real purpose, on topics that will help you. Keep smelling the Flowers. Cheers Phil Pickford