Well, it’s summertime, and in Michigan that means it’s the construction season. Here in the Greater Lansing area, with the sewer separation and other projects under way, my getting to work these days is turning out to be a bit of a steeplechase. Though city travel is more difficult right now, we should remember that construction is indicative of progress. Our area is improving.  Another sign of progress? The cranes showing up in the skies and the building construction that accompanies them. Good things are happening!

Though all this affects various businesses and their customers in a variety of ways, it comes down to the fact that we all deal with it in one way or another, with varying amounts of loss of business and personal patience.  Imagine a thriving business that in a given three- to four-month period loses about 40 percent of its revenue due to inconvenience because of construction.  Also imagine the downtown worker adjusting travel routes and travel times in order to arrive at the job without being late, often readjusting the arrangements more than once as the projects move forward.

The challenge today is navigating the barriers to deal with time and distance—the reward in the future will be a safer, more pleasant and hospitable environment for business owners and customers alike.  Merchants in the vicinity of construction zones are impacted in numerous ways, and their methods of dealing with the business difficulties vary widely—what is a good coping tool for one might be impossible for another to implement.  Let’s tip our hats to the people featured in this month’s issue for the outstanding job they do to make the best of a difficult business situation.  The ever-adapting, ever-changing, chameleon-like survival instincts of the small business entrepreneur are sorely tested in these circumstances; and just as we’d expect, they admirably rise to the challenges.

Thanks to all of you who were part of our 20^th anniversary celebration in June.  We appreciate your participation in the festivities and your support of the magazine.  As always, from all of us to each of you, have a very prosperous month.

Chris Holman

		Chris Holman Publisher