Editorial Invest in Slovakia
Today's blog over traditional Saturday coffee will be of a different nature than I'm used to.
However, I consider it my duty to inform our investors, supporters, fans and all colleagues of Invest in Slovakia, what is happening in our country at these moments, and what impact this "substandard" state has on us.
I'm not going to write any bombshell news now, nor am I going to scare the crowds. I will not underestimate the situation, nor take it all too lightly. I just want to share with you what is happening around me and what threats and opportunities I currently see, or we see in our companybut also in our personal lives.
Most importantly, I want to approach this article rationally and as soberly as possible, but with a pinch of self-confidence and positive thinking.
I don't read newspapers. Almost not at all. In the last 4 weeks I've read maybe 5 headlines about the coronavirus and probably not one full article. I don't even remember it anymore.
I do read a lot of books, though. I search and I learn from wise people, considerably wiser and more experienced than myself. I learn from history. I notice the people around me, how they react to different situations. I learn from the environment in which I live and which surrounds me. And it gives me a certain perspective.
There have certainly been 10,000 articles in the last month about what the forecast is going to be.
What?
Those who today claim that we are facing an economic collapse claimed a month ago that the current economy is bulletproof.
I do not at all think that I am an expert on the situation that has arisen. Nor do I think that there are more experts on the current drama that is dominating the world than there are fingers on a hand.
And maybe that's why we should do not devour every single piece of informationwhich shall be written.
Many compare the current situation to the crisis of 2009. And they go even further. Consider. In 2009, there was an economic crisis. There was no money in circulation. The banks had no cash. Unemployment was at record levels and borrowers were defaulting on their debts.
Now the economy is on steroids. The banks are flush with cash. Businesses have money and are doing well. Everyone is ready to unite and help. This is a societal problem, and it is very strange to me if someone at this point likens it to the economic crisis of 2008-2009.
Coronavirus is the flu. A mutation of influenza for which there is as yet no clear cure . But it's not a snake that's mowing people down and will soon wipe us all out.
Most likely, at least in Slovakia, the situation will soon calm down and the clouds over our heads will begin to dissipate. I am not underestimating the situation under any circumstances, but with the greatest respect we should keep our heads up and not panic.
It is very clear to me that if we are bombarded with bad news on a daily basis, our psyche cannot be doing well. Stop reading the newspapers. I'm serious. The most important news will get to you anyway - from a neighbour or family.
Let us all follow the rules that protect us and strengthen our body and spirit. It does no one any good if we start spreading panic and stress around us. Let's have a healthy attitude.
I am in quarantine because I arrived from abroad 12 days ago. Fortunately, I am healthy, and so is my family. Well, if I look out the window of my apartment, I see all the people in lipstick. Young, old, women with children.
It's strange to me. Apparently for all of you. But what I see motivates me immensely.
The way we have come together and are following all the rules necessary to defeat the virus is a huge win for all of us.
I know one thing for sure. It will be better than it was! This situation that we are all going through will change our society. It is not about no crisis and a few years of recovering from a crash. Nor is it about restarting the economy from the ground up.
It is an experience, a difficult situation that we will all overcome together and prevail. Slovakia has come together and is fighting together, it is a tremendous strength.
Please let us keep to all the responsibilities we have and wait for the day when the first positive signs appear. And let us enjoy this victory. It will be an immensely proud feeling for all of us.
It will never be the same again. I'm not talking about the economy. I'm talking about our habits. This is an experience that will affect many things - both in our lives and in business.
From simple tasks such as washing your hands. From virus prevention to business plans that companies will have to rebuild from the ground up.
It is too powerful an experience to go back to old routines and continue with what was. Let's not fight it, let's adapt.
The first thing that came to my mind as soon as it was clear that I would have to shut myself in our apartment for a while was how this experience could powerfully affect all businesses on the planet.
I've been thinking about it, how a virus can transform the world and the business environment. It is possible that after similar experiences with viruses, we are partially isolating ourselves.
We stop looking for crowds. We will want to shop and spend our money from the comfort of our sofa. We will invest or borrow from our desk with our morning coffee.
This experience that we are all going through can definitely change the business environment.
Believe me, just At this time, thousands of companies are considering how to reach your home. And by focusing intensively on this problem, new dimensions of service provision are opened up.
Application. Delivery. Homework. These are the most searched words in Google at the same time. If businesses don't adapt, they could pay the price.
Our colleagues, including myself, have a home office. But we work hard every day. Regular meetings and communications via conference calls, texting and emails. Basically, we work as we always do and adapt to the opportunities we have.
We have a new office for a month that I haven't been in yet. But these are not insurmountable problems. On the contrary. It teaches us a lot. To be more independent. To work perhaps more relaxed, to manage our own time, find enough space to concentrate and reflect, which we need.
Real estate projects have slowed down for a while. The authorities are not working as efficiently as they should. There may, of course, be delays, but there are no catastrophic scenarios in the world of real estate yet.
Real estate sales prices ️ are not moving. You are not buying at discounts or for record high amounts. These days, demand for new properties has stalled. It's because of a completely new experience and interrupted habitsas we have been used to so far.
We continue to work and look for ways to take advantage of different situations to be even stronger than before.
Do you know what happens when the first positive signs start coming? We begin to win against the virus. The society came together and collectively managed the situation that caused such an unusual panic. After several weeks of stagnation, the sun is finally shining.
But the world will change. Our behaviour will change. The business environment will change. Unfortunately, many companies may not be able to cope with a few weeks of silence, but on the other hand, new projects will emerge and start to dominate.
And the end of this year could be, and I say this in all seriousness, the best time for all of us.
Let's keep the right attitude. Let's continue habits that are positive for our body and spirit. Let's do those things that we haven't had time to do in months or years. Let's follow all the rules that are necessary to fight the virus.
And finally, let's all celebrate together!
