Roadside Observations in the Land of Corned Beef

Stranded in a parking lot at 9 p.m. on a Wednesday evening, you have a lot of time to think. I had just left the Bobby Stephen St. Patrick's Day Celebration at the Executive Court Banquet Facility in Manchester last night when I quickly discovered that my key slid quite easily into the ignition but refused to turn. This was quite the predicament as my Macgyver rescue kit consisted of an empty Diet Coke can, an ice scraper and Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell III CD.

Thankfully, my cellphone still had three bars so I was able to call AAA which quickly took down my information and let me know that roadside assistance would be on the way within 45 minutes. Not wanting to lose the unprecedented opportunity to quietly reflect without anyone in my ear, I let my mind drift and thought about the following amazingly random yet still earth shattering items:

*When your key doesn't turn in the ignition, don't think you're going to listen to the radio. Honestly, I thought I could catch the end of the Monarchs game and turned on the radio actually expecting Ken Cail's play-by-play. Thank God they don't let me operate heavy equipment or perform bypass surgery in my day job.

*Humor in a business networking setting is highly subjective. Some people roll with it while others are mortified - if I had any political aspirations whatsover, there's no way that I'd participate in a charity roast with people in a higher income bracket than me. One offhanded joke about someone's extracurricular habits and the next thing you know, your on your way to a brand new life in the 205 area code plucking chickens.

*Quality of life is extremely important when trying to attract companies to the state of New Hampshire, but the one consistent refrain heard during every business recruitment mission I've been associated with is that our low tax atmosphere sets us apart from the rest. The fact that we don't have a sales or income tax seems to level the playing field when pitted against states that offer huge incentives that end up being absorbed by taxpayers. That's not a political statement, just an observation made by someone who has been part of the business development team for the past decade. And yes, "Live Free or Die" still stands us apart and is a good reference point for those otherwise unfamiliar with our state.

*Presentation counts for a lot in today's business world. I passed by a convenience store the other day and noticed that I couldn't even see through the windows because of the various beer advertisements, lottery paraphernalia and sales posting. Two quick thoughts: Sometimes more isn't better; i.e. if there's so much clutter enveloping your business, any messaging you're trying to convey will be lost quicker than a stray dollar on a windy day. Also, if I was going to rob an establishment (and no, it's not on my bucket list), one that has basically allowed no sunlight to peek through the morass of marketing would be a prime target. I could actually hold up the store, make myself a microwave burito and enjoy a lemon slushie before fleeing the premises.

*Every time I give my opinion utilizing Survey Monkey, I feel like I'm being mocked. Survey Monkey? Look at you, you hairy chimp taking my survey. Press the send button and go have a banana. Pick some fleas off your back if you need to. Just fill out the survey.

*There are some awfully nice people associated with AAA. They showed up 25 minutes ahead of schedule and had me back on the road in no time. Companies like AAA, your local alarm/security firm and restaurants that stay open past midnight are like guardian angels that help us when life throws us an unexpected curve.

I hope that my latest car mishap was just a temporary blip and that I don't find myself stuck in a parking lot anytime soon. But if I do, I'll once again savor the moment, spend some quality time with my best friend and wonder why the randomness of life sometimes puts everything into perfect perspective. It's amazing what pops into your head in the absence of noise.

Steve Boucher is the Communications & Legislative Director at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and always returns his shopping cart to its original location. You can visit me on the “No Bull Business Blog” at blog.nheconomy.com, sign up for our Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/Nobullblog, check out No Bull TV at http://www.youtube.com/user/nobulltv or become one of our Facebook fans at www.facebook.com/nobullbusiness.