Dear Mr. President: We Are Saying Hello

17. March 2009 by admin.

I have never been one to just sit back and wait for someone else to solve a problem. Before I complain, I act.  I see a silver lining and I seize the opportunity to make things better.  So, over the last few months as the economies around the world have taken a nose dive, and especially here in the U.S., I began to take a hard look around me and it was quite interesting what I saw.

Yes, I saw friends going into foreclosure and family members debating bankruptcy. I even saw a few friends get laid off, and dozens “friends of friends” getting the axe.  I saw stress and anguish in the eyes of so many both in my life and from just watching the news.

But, there is something else that I saw. My friends and I were still dining out during Washington, D.C.’s infamous Restaurant Week. We had a girl’s day where a dozen friends piled in a limo and went on a trip to taste wines in Virginia’s wine country.  

During my trips downtown, I saw that the lines in front of trendy night spots were still flowing down the streets, and the VIP areas, where $500 minimums are considered “cheap” were filled to capacity. People were still sipping on $10 Martini’s and enjoying expensive sushi by the trays. I still went shoe shopping and even purchased a necklace from Tiffany’s, who, like many retail businesses is finding this economy hard to bare.  My friends and I took a trip to the West Coast recently where we shopped, dined, partied, and took tours.

And, then the light bulb went off. I soon realized a solution to at least a little bit of the problem that the country is facing.  The solution is the demographic that I find myself in – the young, working professional with little expenses and more disposable income.

We have in our reach the power take heed to our new leader’s message and make a change for everyone.  We are a major part of what is keeping the economy going even during this depressing state. We are dining, shopping, traveling, and yes, we are still investing. Some of us have started small businesses and are doing quite well. Well enough to even take on new employees.

We can make a difference for the many people who are suffering in this economy, and that is what I plan on doing by being a part of The Right LANEs – Ladies Advancing a New Economy.  The Right LANEs will bring together women just like me who can help support the boutique shops on the verge of closing or the struggling family winery whose owners poured their hearts, souls, and savings into making it grow.  We will help make a change, if only one small business at a time.

We, together, can answer the President’s call.

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