So, the powers that be, the NBER, National Bureau of Economic Research has made it official. The recession started last December. Call Mike Wallace! Or as I have been told (I am the only person in America that has never seen The Simpsons) Homer Simpson might say, "DOH!".

Not sure why it takes an official body to declare and recession, and even less sure that I understand why it effected the market as severely as it did. Look at the businesses closing, look at the papers reporting the daily unemployment rates, track the soup kitchens that are running empty. And then look at your own business and track the differences.

We know there is a recession when our clients start to request longer payment plans, lower budgets, and have more urgency in their voices. We know there is a recession when we actually win accounts that end up being put on permanent hold. We know there is a recession when the number of rfps dwindles and the number of bidders increases. We know there is a recession when we cut the hell out or our own budgets, and pressure our vendors the same way our clients pressure us.

So, it’s official. We have been in a recession for a year. Let’s move on!