“Starting Over,” a popular movie from the 1970s starring Bert Reynolds and Candace Bergen, told the tale of a guy who is getting a divorce (not his choice) and how he has to start his life over. After a period of mourning, he finally gets his act together, finds an apartment and decorates it. After work, he comes home, changes into relaxing clothes, makes himself a drink and sits down in his new surroundings. He looks around and says, “*%$#$^*&,” then turns out the light and goes to bed. He is still unhappy and not in the place where he wants to be.

Too often this happens to producers. They were once successful producing new business, but currently are not. Maybe they became complacent with their books of business and the soft market has taken its toll. Now they feel a sense of urgency, but cannot seem to get started again. It could be a case where the producers had a successful year or two, rested on their laurels, and now cannot seem to gain the momentum they had. Sometimes it is a producer who feels burned out, decides it is his surroundings, changes agencies, and has the same problems getting reignited. Whatever the disease, a cure must be found.

Related: Read Koehler's article “A Producer's Freedoms”.