Turn That Frown Upside Down

Difficult though it may be, I’ve been looking for reasons to stay optimistic amidst the avalanche of negative news about the economy.

It seems like all we’ve been hearing is that our current state of affairs is horrible, and we’re teetering on the brink of wholesale disaster. Then Monday arrives and Wall Street posts its largest single-day gain in the history of the market – perhaps this bailout just might work.



As an entrepreneur, it got me thinking about other reasons to stay positive when it seems like the prevailing wisdom might call for switching to pessimism.

No way. Any company can build brand value and gobble up market share when times are good – the truly exceptional companies do that even when things are rough.

I love this quote from Jason Calacanis (founder of Weblogs, Inc. and current CEO of Mahalo.com): “Great entrepreneurs build value and market-share in down markets. They go to work seven days a week and the(y) breakout when other folks check out.”

I love that sentiment – it gives me a warm feeling – and it led to me a wonderful article (published on TechCrunch.com) that uses Calacanis’s quote. The upshot of the article is that times may be tough all over, but there are still opportunities in the technology sector, as there *always* is for companies who have a unique solution to offer.

“While the floor is crumbling for many industries much in the same way it did for Silicon Valley during the dot-bomb years, the sky isn’t necessarily falling on the startup industry – at least not for those with marketable technology or products, dedicated and capable teams, an executable business plan, and access to the resources necessary to help it reach users and customers.”

This is a vitally important concept, and one that should be shouted from the rooftops. Companies will still need to spend money – no matter how bad the economic situation gets. It’s just that they will preserve their cash and spend it carefully on products that can help them improve, streamline their processes and boost their bottom lines.

So all is NOT gloom and doom.

“For those startups that are building and marketing something of value for consumers or businesses, there is much work to do. While there is always a need to attract mainstream users, this isn’t the time to stretch or over-commit resources to hit everyone all at once. Branding is an expensive proposition, one that requires time, capital, diligence, dedicated teams, enthusiastic customers, and patience. As counter intuitive as it may seem, this is exactly the right time to market into the echo chamber to earn the support of influentials who will create significant, concentrated brand visibility and momentum to carry you forward.”

Build a strong brand, and it will return to you ten-fold, I think. And now is the right time to do it. After all, you’re still aiming for the same target you always were – your customers are out there; the dartboard may have gotten smaller lately; but the target is still there, waiting to receive the arrow that is your message, your brand, your solution.