Starting a business in a down economy

Lately we have been pretty steady at posting new items on eBay, but so far sales have been pretty slow. Right now, I think that is to be expected. With the economy in the shape it is right now, the first thing people cut out is adding to their collections. I do firmly believe that things will be better soon and if that is the case, we will be in an excellent position to grow fairly quickly.

Some think that starting in a slow economy is a terrible idea because if businesses do not get off to a fast start, they might not get off the ground at all. Most people get discouraged and quit before they ever get a chance to grow. I think that attitude is why so many businesses fail so quickly. There is always a gap how people think their businesses should work and how well it actually works in the real world. When the two don't match up a less patient owner will shut the doors too soon.

I don't believe that slow sales necessarily means you have a bad product or a terrible business model. I've seen numerous businesses start with extraordinary sales only to fail as soon as there is a moderate slowdown. Slow sales in a down economy help to allow your business to grow organically and give you time to organize and learn what strategies work before you are too busy with sales to make those decisions and plans.