Welcome to September

There's a lot of free content emerging from Extreme Business today:

• Our September newsletter includes articles from a Principal and a Business Development Manager on their experiences of Covid-comeback.

• The Extreme Business Academy September content includes a detailed tutorial from me on Recession Marketing and a video interview with a successful Practice manager on how her practice has bounced back higher.

This along with the blog and my "5 a day" video blog at lunchtime.

It's September - and with just 115 shopping days left until Christmas, this will be the first time in over 20 years that I enter the final part of the calendar year with no firm business plan for 2021.

The same goes for my clients and, I suspect, for you.

Normally, by this time, I have drawn up my calendar, created a cash flow forecasting spreadsheet and written a marketing plan for the service offer in the following year.

In fact, 1st September usually sees me launching my 2021 offer.

Not so this time.

In a conversation with Henry Kissinger in the early 1970's, Chinese diplomat Zhou Enlai was asked about the success of the French Revolution.

"It's too early to say" was his now famous response.

In a moment of misunderstanding, the fact that he was referring to the student riots of the late 60's was confused with a reference to the original revolution of the 1790's - and the Chinese leadership were mistakenly endowed with the patience of Job.

I'm going to steal the quote, however, when it comes to talking to my team, my coach and my clients about 2021 planning.

"It's too early to say."

Much as it pains me, I feel as if we need to let a little more time pass before definitive plans are made about the 2021 trading year.

Last Friday's "relaxation" of fallow time subject to mitigating factors in Wales and England is a shaft of sunlight across an otherwise uncertain landscape.

Covid isn't done with us and I refer back to my comment in today's newsletter that it would be that oxymoron - a brave politician - who announced "masks off" any time soon.

Recession (if not depression) is with us and it remains to be seen what the medium term effects will be on buying habits once the current backlog of patients have been accommodated.

As usual, the NHS climate is as predictable as my Manchester weather.

Much proverbial water has to flow under bridges before any of us can start that "3-year vision, 12-month plan, 90-day goals, monthly targets, weekly wins and daily tasks" routine.

For now - just turn up, do your best - but keep your eyes and ears very open, ready to pivot quickly as the market evolves.

In another incorrectly attributed Chinese quotation - "may you live in interesting times".