Hard Times Require Creative Resources: Use the Internet to Get on the Road to Business Prosperity

How can we spend money on a small business venture when folks all around us—maybe even us—are finding it harder and harder to simply make the rent? While situational wisdom would have us shake our heads and insist it can't be done right now, common sense says there is no better time for that creativity which can spur on greatness.

I'm not necessarily crazy . . . yet, though readers may believe I'm headed in that direction. But no, please follow along. It is possible to take this upside-down, topsy-turvy economy and use it to your benefit. Here are three ways . . . add your own as you get into it!

1. Gravitate to the internet. The internet is your big, fun shopping party. At what other time in history have you been able to sit at your desk - in your pajamas, if you like - and comparison shop? Consolidate resources and ensure you get the best price. You no longer have to rely on the local market. If the local market is your best quality, with the best price, by all means go for it. Keeping your money circulating at home has its own benefits. But if your top quality/price is in Spokane, Washington, and you are in Iowa . . . there's nothing stopping you from saving your dollars by going national.

2. Comparison shop for talent. This point relates to the first. We are no longer required to have a traditional office, where we sit in the same space as someone who does our administrative work, and our printing, and our accounting. See which of those services can be accomplished virtually . . . and then do your homework. Find the best service providers for your dollar's top value. What about a Virtual Assistant? What about an online printer? I recently needed a banner for a book fair. I went online and found a fantastic company with many options. I selected what I wanted based on their easy-to-use templates, paid through their secure server, and in days—literally days—I had a high quality banner and at a better price than anything I could have had if I'd gotten in my car, burned some gas, and driven to my local printer. This isn't to disparage the local economy . . . just to advise you not to overlook opportunities because they are on the internet and not in the local community.

3. Use the internet for new ideas. Not only is the ‘net an economical shopping party, it's a playground for creativity. A library at your fingertips! A directory of options, available at the click of a few buttons. Need a resource to help you understand the stock market? Use a search engine. Looking for a historical reference about how Christmas cards were first used? Visit libraries online, or search content articles for well-researched details.

We create our own reality, folks. It's all too true that the world around us is in varying stages of crisis, yet what we focus on is always, always what comes to us. Think about it - the power of positive thought. If you don't let yourself fall into the abyss of negativity, you are the one who is likely to find the best ways around the difficulties and climb above the fray.

And to get started . . . you don't need to spend even a gallon of your precious, and expensive, gasoline. Save those pennies for you creativity - and your exciting new business!