Starting a New Business in a Recession

Starting up a new business is a challenging prospect in the best of times. It requires time, patience, fiscal insight, and the correct marketing strategy. If one considers the state of the world economy in the past five years, it becomes apparent that undertaking a new venture presents many additional tribulations. It is imperative to understand how a different approach is essential in these troubling economic times. The template for starting up a new enterprise should consist of two main focuses. The first needs to be on the more logistical and financially-oriented tasks which are similar variables considered in more prosperous times. The second area of equal importance needs to include safeguards should a business fall upon hard times.

To begin any novel business requires a massive amount of research into one’s own financial budget; correctly allocating resources, establishing profit targets, etc. Additionally, marketing policies must reflect current economic conditions. One must constantly be kept abreast of events in his marketplace. Excess expenditures should be avoided and there needs to exist a financial buffer in place should a company incur revenue losses in the first few months of operation. This decidedly conservative approach will help a business employ the correct marketing and operational policies.

One needs to focus on not only controlling cash flow, but also building a solid customer base without overstretching limited resources. Such methods could include “soft launching” a particular business; that is, marketing a product or service to a small portion of a targeted sector. This can give relevant feedback before undertaking full financial exposure to a volatile market. All of these strategies will naturally incur a certain amount of risk. While risk is necessary for growth, a company also needs to choose a solid insurance policy to help protect against the turbulent times encountered in a recession.

A business owner needs to appreciate the protective umbrella which certain policies can give. Finding the correct type of policy needs to be a priority. While worker’s compensation insurance is common along with health, life, and disability, there exist other options which should be considered as well. Property and casualty insurance are best when combined into one policy, as the rates can be significantly cheaper than purchasing each individually. Should a business frequently use automobiles, commercial auto insurance is considered a wise choice. Business interruption insurance covers against financial loss should an unforeseen event occur such as a fire or flood. This coverage is strongly recommended.

In fluid economic times, possessing the right strategy to begin a new venture should be coupled with choosing and implementing the correct business insurance policy. This synergy will give employees and management alike a stable foundation to bring their business to the market.