![covid](https://garyacosta.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/covid-1.jpg)
Barring getting a vaccine sooner than expected, it seems like we’re in for a longer haul than expected with this once-in-a-century pandemic. Businesses, schools and sports are probably going to be a shell of themselves until the end of the year. There is no denying the fact that we have managed this situation poorly. Americans have had it so good for so long, it possible we thought we were invincible – that we were too good for a pandemic to beat us. Hopefully, we know better by now, and for those of us who are lucky enough to make it to the other side, we need to start thinking about what is next.
Economically, the remnants of the Corona Virus recession will be with us for a lot longer than we expected. A few million businesses will go under permanently, people will travel less, more of us will work from home, and therefore, in my view, every surviving company in the world should start writing a new business plan. You can be certain that things will never be the same again. We already know that companies like Amazon, Netflix, Apple and Microsoft will emerge stronger than before the pandemic, but who else? It’s time for everyone to do more deep thinking about how your business will be affected and how you need to change. Because trust me, everyone needs to brace themselves for some serious changes. The first thing you should do is talk to your kids more about technology, the services they use, the way they communicate and how they get things done. Then we all need to go back to school and start learning again. If there was ever a time to invest in yourselves, this is the time. And please…wear a mask.
Regardless of political persuasion, most people think the rhetoric of politics has gotten out of control. If you believe that, as I do, there IS something you can do about it. You can ask yourself whether you are helping or hurting the situation. I like to say that there are two types of people in the world: people who add stress and people who relieve stress. I think similarly, some people are adding to the political spectacle in the country, and others are at least trying for something better.
Gary's Blog will return next week.
This past week, the National Association of Realtors invited me to participate in a meeting with the NAR leadership and Jonathan Kanter, the Assistant Attorney General of the United States.