Resilience is key too isn't it. Some people fall to their knees, put their head in their hands and cry, some cry out to a greater power and ask for support and strength and some just (perhaps because they are already connected to something larger than themselves, an energy or a spiritual energy??) do not stay on their knees, they fall, they hurt, they grow, they heal and they are better for it and they go on to help others off of their knees.

I don't think there is any one answer. Any economics professor will tell you that diversity is the basis of a sound economic structure, just another way of saying don't put all your eggs in one basket. Alberta is a good example of that. Many of our provinicial governments have tried to insulate the economy from "earth shattering hits" like the oil bust in the 80"s. Since then we have seen new industries spring up, even though the bulk of our economy is still oil related.

Taking this to an individual level, as a career coach, I have always encouraged a plan B, C, D, etc. I agree with you Pam that the fall back for many of the Weekender reps will be the network that they have created to be successful in the first place. I also wonder if any of these reps would have also taken on other direct marketing products, ie Mary Kay, Avon, etc. If you like to sell, one product may not be enough. They would have done exactly as the provincial government or any good mutal fund manager.

This reminds me of a story told to me by a former colleague at Mount Royal College in Calgary:
There are two kinds of people in the world, beige people and technocolour people.
Beige people look only at what is put in front of them, accept news at face value, don't look up too often from the sidewalk. Technocolour people are acutley aware of their environment, they look left and right, they not only read the first page of newspapers, but among other things, the business section, news and industry magazines and attend lectures to synergize information. They notice the passing of the seasons.

Following 9/11, the technocolour people found other niches to invest their talents to find success. I guess what I am trying to say is that success in found within the human spirit. We can all be dealt that earth shattering blow at any time. When your time comes, the surviviors will reach deep inside them for that spirit, courage, and the support of true friends. I had the pleasure of re-affirming that this week.

Go ahead and rant Lynda! It's interesting to see how across industries different legislation in different places can affect all of us. It also helps me to re-pose the question for all of us...

Can your business sustain an earth shattering
hit? Are you offering a diversity of services and products that are
able to carry you through just about anything?

I know that after 9/11 a lot of my colleagues in independent training and consulting enterprises had a real problem, because people weren't hiring them. I think on the whole that benefits were realized in coaching because people wanted someone to turn to, and the lesson is certainly still there to have a range of services and products (although that has problems too...like in how we can stretch ourselves really thin). Is there a straightforward answer?

Hmmm! If we run out of dog's I'll be in trouble and if BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) comes into effect that will also have a negative impact as well I think. A hit to my industry has been some of the TV series dog trainers, pet owners don't realize how much ends up on the editing room floor or how many clients do not have appropriate dogs for the show. Sorry didn't mean to rant.

I heard today (a couple of weeks after the fact I realize) that Weekenders has gone out of business. There are plenty of reasons being offered, but the end result is that a entire battalion of Weekender reps are now out of work, and being set up the way direct marketing companies are, they are out of business for now too. I have no doubt that plenty of these amazing women will land on their feet because they've already built networks along with their business.
My question to you is this:
Can your business sustain an earth shattering hit? Are you offering a diversity of services and products that are able to carry you through just about anything?