Paris, Texas is not the same place it was a few years ago!
As I sat down to write this piece a couple of times this week I was struck by a single thought; Paris has changed and its good thing we did! I’m excited to offer some good news to everyone…you don’t live in the same place you did ten years ago.
I’ve owned a business and worked in Paris for over twenty-five years and I’ve never felt anything quite like this in the community. I have many “business owner” friends and acquaintances in the area and the conversation always goes the same anytime we meet. As owners we begin by exchanging comments about family and getting older and then one of us always brings up “the thing” we really want to know and that is, “How’s business?”.
Over the years I’ve given many answers and most of the time positive ones (after all we are still here) but there have been those times a few years back when it just wasn’t good and often when it wasn’t good for me in the advertising/marketing business, it wasn’t good for my friends in the car business, furniture business, restaurant business, etc.
Yes, we all rise and fall together! In our business of advertising/marketing we tend to be a kind of barometer of future upswings or downturns. We tend to run three to six months ahead of other types of business. If our advertising clients are optimistic about the future they tend to advertise/market more, investing advertising dollars in their businesses and grab more market share or maximize current trends and extend an uptick in sales. They plan for new product launches or inventory reduction. They plan and we are usually a part of that process.
Don’t get me wrong there are lots of factors that combine to keep a business successful but, an owners’ planning and forward-thinking on advertising/marketing is a pretty clear indicator of how well they are doing or planning on doing.
I see real growth and optimism as we go into the fall and 2020! Owners are planning for growth and expansion and with the national economy humming along and stable business-friendly leadership in Washington, we see no sign of this trend stopping anytime soon. Business has never been better. I have never seen more help wanted signs in Paris, from fast food shifts to the factory floor!
In this issue of MyParisTexas.com Bi-Weekly alone there are several significant “help wanted ads” and in our office at 1st Street Media, we have hired more people in the last year than in the previous 10 years combined!
The question is why? Why growth and why now in Paris, Texas? I have two simple words, POSITIVE ATTITUDE! We have positive attitudes among business owners, community leaders and those individuals who have an impact on the future of this community. I think we simply have a situation and a time where people want to make things happen, they want to grow, and they want a better community and more opportunity for themselves and their families.
All I can say is, “pack up your positive attitude and get on board!” The train is leaving the station, leave that pessimism and negativity on the platform with the old luggage. You are not going to need any of that stuff where we are going, Paris is headed for the future!
James Wyatt
President 1st Media
