IB partnered with Chamberlain Research Consultants (CRC) to poll a pre-selected group of 100 companies. Chamberlain researcher Tony Trout structures the questionnaire, summarizes the data, and created a website so participating company presidents can receive “live” data. President Sharon Chamberlain has made her staff available to us to provide the business community with new tools, and we thank CRC for its ongoing contributions to this project.
GOOD NEWS! The response, over all, was more optimistic this month than during the past several months (SEVERAL months), and attitudes are more upbeat as well! Could it be that we all needed a glimmer of hope (along with more business)? Time will tell, and as it does, we’ll be there in real-time to share results with our readers.
The IB100 group includes cross-industry, business-to-business, and business-to-consumer entities, and a few significant nonprofits. The first [monthly] polling was done in June 2009. This latest poll was conducted in mid-May 2010.
IB Asks
Commentary from Our Participants
Are we seeing brighter skies on the horizon?
IT Company: April was our best month ever! Our core business offerings were up 58% year-over-year when compared to the same month a year ago. Our total business grew by 158%.
Call Center: We recently hired several positions in anticipation of increased revenue.
Credit Union: While I see signs that would indicate good news in our economy, our national deficit is a weight that we have yet to see the negative impact. I’m concerned about how we will pay for all the government spending and all the regulatory changes that are bound to have unintended consequences. Will Americans continue the entrepreneurial spirit and desire to start and grow businesses if the reward for taking risks is significantly reduced?
Significant Nonprofit: We are seeing some synergy in the nonprofit arena due to the hiring of some really top credentialed people taking on the leadership of our biggest and best nonprofits. These hires are coming from out of Wisconsin for the most part. Coming to Madison with great joy to participate in our excellent quality of life.
Law Firm: Our business income has stayed quite consistent after falling slightly in late 2008 and early 2009.
Manufacturer: It appears we have hit bottom. We have seen four months of growth, even though it has been small. At least we are moving forward and not stagnant or moving backward any longer.
Design-Build Firm: Many clients are slower to make decisions. Rabid competition.
Recreational Firm: The recreational industry is so dependent on good weather. If the sun shines and the wind stops blowing … I would expect business to pick up.
Other Comments:
- From my point of view, the passage of health care reform will have a detrimental impact on the economy because the emphasis on improving access was not balanced with measures to control costs. The impact will be significant!
- Things continue to look much better than last year at this same time.
- Government needs to stop spending so much money and quit bankrupting the nation.
- If we can weather the next six months, I think we’ll be ready to “attack” the hopefully expanding medical market.
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