Brett Banter

The New York Times reported today that U.S. retails sales reported their biggest gain in seven months. This was the fourth straight month of increased sales. Is this a sign that America is finally moving out of a recession or just a sign that people are buying things such as cars and building materials because their current stuff is breaking down?

And who will take credit? Well, both sides will, which is a problem. Democrats will point to Obama's stimulus deals as the reason, while Republicans will say their recent mid-term election victory helped stir consumer spending. In a way they are both right. People are only going to spend money if they believe America is heading in the right direction. Here's a novel idea...let's put aside our political differences and pull together for America. You may not like Nikki Haley, but South Carolina needs her to succeed. You may not like President Obama, but South Carolina needs him to succeed. Instead of listening to political purists who only want one of governance and electing people who don't like government, let's actually think about ways to work together.

It's a simple solution: Let's pull together.

Example: A tree

Said tree has broken branches, a squirrel living in it and all of its leaves drop off once a year. Bad tree. Don't like that tree. Don't want anything to do with that tree. Worst tree ever.

But what if that tree is on the edge of a beautiful forest? Is the forest bad?

Welcome to paralysis through analysis. This is when people, companies, governments and the like get so caught up looking at a few mistakes that they overlook a lot of the positives. They see broken branches when they should be looking at the forest as a hole. They mire themselves in indecision. It usually comes when they study something to hard. That is not saying companies shouldn't be diligent in their work, but sometimes it pays to step back and look at the big picture.

The question becomes is your company suffering from paralysis through analysis. Is it time to make decisions? Let Brett show you how.

Brett recently moved its offices back to downtown Greenville. Okay, it was three months ago, but that seems like recently when you are looking for something that you know should be around here somewhere. That is the problem with moving. Things get stuffed into a closet and storage in a hurry and then forgotten about.

This happens in every business, and not just in moving. We tend to stuff things into the closets and back corners of our minds. What good does it do there? Nothing. That is why we need to get things in order. It is wise to get organized and start thinking about ways to make your business start growing.

Or maybe that is too much for you, and you need help. Give Brett a call. We will get your company organized.

Had a big day with the announcement that Charter is now the naming rights partner of the Amphitheater at Heritage Park. We had a great turnout for the announcement from the media and local leaders. The weather was perfect in Simpsonville.

Of course, we did a lot of behind the scenes work to make this naming rights a reality, but that is a story for another day. Give us a call or shoot us an e-mail and we can do the same thing for your business.

The Woodlands at Furman is proud to announce its one-year anniversary celebration is coming up in two weeks. The celebration is geared toward Upstate seniors and will be highlighted by a keynote speech by the founder and president of Masterpiece Living, Dr. Robert Landry.

Other events include golf, bike rides, a concert with Jack Roper and a cooking demonstration. So, if you are of retirement age, come check out this event.

We wrote a post not too long ago about how the issue that just won't go away in our state -- the Confederate flag -- continues to command attention from both sides ten years after the flag was removed from the dome of the South Carolina Statehouse. Though the flag was taken down from the Capitol and placed on a 30-foot pole on the Statehouse lawn, the NAACP and others continue to protest the flag's presence on state property. The issue that just won't die in South Carolina has positioned our state on a perilous ledge until it is fully resolved. The ongoing ferocity potentially jeopardizes not only our own internal political and social relations, but has the opportunity to also directly impact the state's economy by causing businesses to shy away from bringing industry to such a cutthroat political climate.

If you've lived in South Carolina for any significant period of time, you undoubtedly know that the Confederate flag flies in front of the Capitol in Columbia next to a monument honoring fallen Confederate soldiers. Our state has a storied and tense history with the flag, which perched atop the Capitol building from 1962 until the state senate passed a bill in 2000 to have it moved to its current location. And there it has flown ever since...albeit a more traditional square-shaped version of the flag.

As you probably know, we like to harp on how substantial a role public relations plays when it comes to politics, campaigns and the political climate. Positive public relations and perceptions equate to gold, particularly in a state like South Carolina where the partisan divide remains profoundly distinct and scars from political scandal still bleed profusely.