When the going gets tough

This whole economic set up of a global meltdown and turbulent times ahead has divided the population into two. I call it the 82-18 divide. Hindustan Times / CNN-IBN polls suggest 82% of respondents to a poll worried about the economic condition of the country. The upside, there still exists that 18% who sees the glass half full.

I am a start-up because I am an optimist and not vice versa. How bad can it really get! Small businesses have a different growth curve compared to their largely fund counterparts, and if the pundits out there say, this is the time to struggle, we haven’t actually seen it otherwise!

Why there lie good times ahead if you are a new or a small business in the services sector?

You are flexible: Imagine having to make 2000 employees redundant as compared to making your team of less than 20 work some extra hours daily. Some hot pizza from Domino's and an inspiring speech about the persistent recession and hanging on will do the trick.

Its finally an employer’s market: The talent is FINALLY available AND ready to negotiate. Note: Resources and attrition are amongst the top 5 growth problems faced by smaller businesses.

You need to save every penny and spend wisely: Like you shouldn’t when there is no recession???

Demand for cheaper alternatives: You always believed your services were as good as the market leader. Now is the time to prove it. Bigger organizations are looking for competitive prices and value for money. The axe is on all department budgets and the preferred vendors are all being re-evaluated for value.

Alternative sources of capital: Money is cheap. Yes, with the stock and the real estate drying up and no longer a lucrative investment opportunity, the money still needs to be invested. Talk to an angel investor and show him the returns, he will take notice. The risk is smaller in comparison and the returns – when you are competing with a negative return market, how difficult can it be.

Its time to get real: And the most real organizations are start-ups. They don’t have a choice.

And then if you are a brand communications agency with assumed capabilities to sell your clients product, there has never been a bigger demand for your services! You are cheap and they need you! Go get ‘em! Let’s lay the foundations of some more O&Ms, LOWEs, JWTs possibly put together!

The top-most qualities needed by any entrepreneur by far are clarity of vision and confidence.