Of course, that’s not to say that there aren’t still a long list challenges facing the industry.

And, unsurprisingly, money, in various guises, features heavily.

At the end of last month, the government unveiled plans to tackle late payments to SMEs. In essence, the plans centre on a culture of naming and shaming large companies and encouraging best practice in the public sector – so, basically, the new ‘plan’ is pretty much the same as all the other plans that, erm, didn’t work either.

I think it’s time to accept that when it comes to being paid on time, you’re essentially on your own, ladies and gents.

But perhaps that’s the way it should be.

As the Fed’s Kathy Woodward says in our briefing on the topic: the best way to resolve the issue of late payment is to make getting paid as a big a priority as winning the deal in the first place.

Which leads us nicely on to another money related challenge – and one that was highlighted in this issue’s interview – unsustainable print pricing.

And, you guessed it, you’re on your own here too, I’m afraid.

However, with our newfound optimism, I might just have the answer – start smiling.

Make sure you’re smiling when you’re chasing that long overdue payment, because, trust me, it will give your voice the tone of a psychopath.

And, for the second challenge: the next time a client asks you to match the price of a competitor that barely covers costs, smile or even laugh out loud …and then simply walk away.