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I had a blast at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta events.

When I told some Albuquerque natives and semi-natives how excited I was about attending, I usually got the same response: *Oh, you won*t get that excited after you*ve been here awhile.*

Who knows. Maybe that will be true. But, I hope not. I felt like a little kid. Watching several hundred balloons taking off during early morning Mass Ascension. Walking amongst the same balloons during the evening Balloon Glow. The number of balloons, the organization of the events, and the lack of chaos just amazed me.

The Fiesta is obviously second nature to some. But, it was brand new to me. Of course, this made me think about business. How many of us see our business as something that is "second nature"?

Let's say you*ve been in business for a few years. You have your products, services, and marketing strategies down to a science. You get customers through referrals and word of mouth. After awhile, you feel like you're running on automatic.

It's easy to get bored with your business and even let it become stale. To freshen things up, you might try:

• Updating your Web site, brochure or other marketing materials
• Giving a presentation to a new group of potential clients
• Getting a free consultation from a non-competing business consultant

I never want to lose that sense of wonder * for the Balloon Fiesta or for my business. Looking at your business from a new perspective can be a breath of fresh air.