Once upon a time the newspaper industry was one of the largest employers in America. No more. At its peak (1990) in the United States, the newspaper industry employed 457,800. Today that number has almost totally evaporated. Now only 38,000 are employed in that industry. New research shows that over 2,000 newspapers have closed in the last 15 years. Circulation of daily newspapers has dropped to a 77-year low, signaling an end to print and a shift to all-digital delivery.

Once the transistor was invented, vacuum tubes (Electron tubes) that filled the back of every television and radio on the planet, were on their way to extinction in all but the most specific of applications. One very sobering fact is not one vacuum tube manufacturer made the changeover to transistor manufacturer.

Some people say it takes courage to move from what is familiar and secure to embrace something new. I see reasons every day that prove just the opposite…if you want to be secure you better start EMBRACING CHANGE.

12 years ago, there were no smartphones. Now, Wi-Fi and mobile data are almost universal, and smartphones have hit market saturation in the most developed nations. “5G” is the fifth-generation wireless technology for digital cellular networks. It also happens to be 100 times faster than “4G” networks. Digital technology is disrupting industries everywhere we look. Here are just a few examples:

Travel websites such as Expedia (EXPE), Kayak, and Travelocity have created new competition for Travel Agents. Language translation software is becoming more and more accurate, reducing the need for human Translators. DIY (Do it Yourself) tax software such as TurboTax has caused successful Tax Accountants to diversify their services to retain their clients. Retail cashiers have also been displaced at supermarkets and big box stores with self-checkout lines. Drone technology will revolutionize the way products are delivered, and Amazon is trying to make that a reality. Drones will replace Pilots in a number of specializations such as the film industry, crop-dusting, traffic monitoring, and fighter pilots.

Our lives don’t get better by chance. They get better by change. Is it easy to change? NO! Will it be worth it? YES! Always remember, we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. I think it worth repeating: Not one vacuum tube manufacturer made the changeover to transistor manufacturer.

Security comes from
EMBRACING CHANGE…NOT FIGHTING IT