In his address to Congress Tuesday evening, President Obama pushed the subject of energy independence back into the spotlight.. So, you can bet that lots of federal dollars are about to be handed out to all sorts of energy-related projects and pilot programs.

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When there’s a void, someone is likely to fill it, right? Sir Richard Branson is a case in point. The mastermind of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Records and just about everything else Virgin is also a leader in a relatively new, fast-growing online business called peer-to-peer lending. You guessed it — Virginmoney.com (Read More…)

Right now, we Americans may be hunkered down and feeling uncertain about the near future, but we’re still Americans. We haven’t lost, even for a moment, our clear vision of the good life - translation: the American dream. (Read More…)

As you read this today, President Obama will be signing the $787 billion stimulus package. For boating, there’s not much good news and some bad. (Read More…)

It’s likely to be fourth down and goal to go from inside the 10 yard line for some manufacturers and dealers when the Miami International Boat Show and Strictly Sail open today. For those in that unfortunate position, a lack of scoring with significant orders from this show may be handing them a loss in the big game. (Read More…)

I just spoke with a good friend and colleague, Dave Geoffroy, Executive Director of the Southern California Marine Association. I wanted to know how the opening weekend of his Los Angeles Boat Show had gone. (Read More…)

Something curious is happening at our boat shows. Dealers are reporting two unexpected results in addition to better than anticipated attendance. They are: (1) small boats are drawing more interest and selling better than large boats, and (2) it appears dealers are talking to more new people than old prospects and customers. (Read More…)

I know what you’re thinking – not the old “follow up” pitch again! But, with our major winter boat shows well underway and, happily, doing much better than expected, a study of trade shows by the Center for Exhibition Research (CER) should give us some heartburn. (Read More…)