My Head is Spinning . . . .

. . . And at times, I feel a hundred years old. It’s not that I feel old today – it’s when I look at old pictures – or think about how we used to do things, we all look so young! Last week, I sent this postcard to our lifelong friend Patty Blank who worked with us for more than 10 years from the early 1980’s – ‘90’s. We still work together on a variety of projects and spend a lot of time together – and it seems that all we talk about is our weight, plastic surgery possibilities, menopause and of course, men (our men). When I saw this card from our company archives (circa 1983) – I honestly wondered what we used to talk about. We were young, thin, healthy . . . who can remember what occupied our time then?

More than the aging process, it is the dramatic change in how we conduct business that captures my attention. I have written about this topic before - which proves how big a deal it is to me – but the one industry change that I have noticed is photography and how different our habits are now from just 10 years ago. I am sure I was one of the last hold outs for film-based cameras. Our son Jason gave me a traditional camera two years ago and had to look long and hard to find one. I remember when we used to buy rolls of film and pack our suitcases with film and batteries to make sure we could make it through an extended trip. Then last year, Jason convinced us that it was time to take the quantum leap to a digital camera, which we did just before a trip to Turkey (and yes, our friend Patty Blank was with us). I was an immediate and enthusiastic convert. Not only did I have the camera with me all the time – but I found it to be so easy and convenient to use. No film running out; no batteries dying . . . it was great. When we returned home, I spent a few hours online enhancing and correcting the pictures and then posting them to Kodak Gallery to share with our friends.

Now – less than a year later, I always have my camera with me. I take pictures of all of our events and send them to clients afterwards. When looking for items for a client, I photograph what I find and immediately send them a picture. Within our own family, we all share our digital albums which give us a chance to see what is happening in each other’s lives.

There is a lesson in this story. The photography industry as we know it has changed 100% in the past 10 years – how amazing is that? Professional photographers no longer control access to their negatives – instead, they now provide a CD or a website of the pictures they have taken. Consumers are printing pictures at home on their own photo printers – or sharing them electronically and ordering prints online. Kodak and Shutterfly have distinguished their companies as amazing online resources with capacities for producing customized cards, invitations and gifts within a matter of days – and you never speak to a person – everything is ordered and processed electronically. This industry has reinvented itself to seize the opportunities now available. WOW!

So – though at times I feel archaic and out of sync with all the technology changes around me, I am holding on with enthusiasm and appreciation for the unbelievable and exciting advancements that are taking place. I remind myself that change is good and rich with potential. It’s a life lesson – a business lesson . . . enjoy!