Tuesday, March 4, 2025  It feels strange to be here, this place we find ourselves together; caught between what we knew before and what might lie ahead.  There is no clear sense of direction yet, let alone a destination or eventual outcomes.

This doesn’t feel like a typical uncertainty, either. It doesn’t seem to be the low-grade uncertainty that we recognize; the type that often runs in the background but that at least grants us some sense of how things might unfold. This feels different. Many of the usual trail markers that once guided us seem out of place, and we’re left in the midst of something bigger, with as yet no clear roadmap to follow.

It’s as if everyone is waiting for something, but no one can agree on what it will be. Some expect promising outcomes, full of opportunity and growth. Others warn of significant challenges, or even worse consequences than we can imagine. Then there’s everything in between. The opinions are many, but the truth is, it’s mostly speculative right now. Everyone seems to have a vision of what might be coming, but no one can say with certainty how it will unfold.

In times like this, it’s less about trying to predict what’s next. It’s about staying alert to what’s actually happening. Information is coming in fast, sometimes fragmented, but it’s critical to stay tuned to the details. The full answers aren’t here yet, but as the picture develops and becomes clearer, the right decisions will emerge.

Uncertainty is heavy, but adding a heavier dose of timely information into the mix is the best way to build your path to clarity. Predictions abound, but they don’t change the fact that we’re all navigating this moment with incomplete information. The path forward may not be immediately clear, but the key lies in staying connected to the flow of what we do know, piece by piece, as we prepare for what’s to come.

That’s why, at October Research, we believe that Knowledge is the Competitive Advantage. Our publications are working overtime to bring news and analysis of this rapidly changing landscape to you—so you can adapt as quickly and wisely as possible during this critical and unprecedented time.

Until Next Time,

Mary Schuster
Chief Knowledge Officer
October Research, LLC