Comment: Prepare to put yourself forward

Autumn's mists and mellow fruitfulness remind us of the cyclical nature of the seasons and business life has its own cadence too. The commercial environment is not as stunning as the fabulous golden yellow and deep red leaves on show in the countryside at the moment but with the right planning there is hope for improvement.

Keats' evocation of seasonal change is as true as ever, but the punctuation commerce must adhere to is slightly harder to predict. Just as the seasons are at the mercy of the weather, business suffers constant change. Understanding those rhythms is important, knowing where we are in the cycle allows us to plan for, and succeed, in the future. Summer may seem a long way off but the preparation must start now.