Recession Proof Businesses

There is nothing that is a sure thing business in a recession, especially one as deep as we are experiencing.  Yes, some industries do better in recessions than others. Most noticeably, goods and services that are necessities obviously do better than goods and services that are perceived as discretionary luxury items.

But, even companies in the best of industries for a recessionary economy must be managed skillfully.  And, managing in a recession is very different than managing over the last couple of decades.

Because it has been so long since the last severe downturn, many owners and managers are ill prepared to create something close to a recession proof business. These are times that will test the managerial and leadership mettle of both entrepreneurs and professional managers.

Here are a dozen thought leaders who have distinguished themselves over the years as being on top of market changes and can be your starting point for accessing wisdom about finding, acquiring or building as close to a recession proof business as one can ever have.  Their core competencies cover a wide spectrum and so prudent executives and entrepreneurs will carefully evaluate how any one of these fit with your needs. (Those with LinkedIn profiles are linked to this leading resource for detailed information on executives.)

The dozen, in alphabetical order, are:

Ali Brown – Over the last two to three years, Ali has gained a significant following especially from woman entrepreneurs. Although her focus originally was on marketing, she is increasingly sharing her wisdom on the personal characteristics that contribute to entrepreneurial success. Ali's weekly ezine is a treasure trove of solid market information for entrepreneurs. See the LinkedIn profile for Ali Brown.

Jack Canfield – Jack combines personal entrepreneurial success with a passion for teaching the success principles equally applicable to entrepreneurs and corporate executives. His Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which he created with Mark Victor Hansen, has sold more than 100 million copies. Jack Canfield's latest book, The Success Principles, has been a NY Times best seller and is even more relevant in these tough times. See the LinkedIn profile for Jack Canfield.

Dave Carpenter – Dave is a highly regarded expert on corporate restructurings. After serving 25 years on the front lines of the restructuring world, he is now a well known consultant to leading law firms, consultants and investment banks on their restructuring practices. Dave Carpenter's blog, Prospering in Tough Times, is a sound mix of pragmatic advice, strong situational analysis and uplifting personal encouragement.  See the LinkedIn profile for Dave Carpenter.

Michael Gerber – Like others on this list, Michael is a fundamentalist who believes that building a business on sounds fundamentals will cause it to prosper in good times as well as bad times. His original E-Myth book has spawned an entire series of books for entrepreneurs, as well as the E-Myth Resource Center.

Seth Godin – Prolific author and superb mind stretcher, Seth is one of the youngest of these business stars. He is highly regarded for his marketing insights and "in your face" writings such as in his book All Marketers Are Liars. And, Seth is probably the leading expert on social marketing. Seth Godin's blog is one of the most popular blogs in the world.

Loral Langemeier – Loral has quickly established herself as a knowledgeable resource for her entrepreneurial guidance on building businesses from scratch. Her book Cash Machine for Life is a step by step action plan for leveraging your existing skills to create a successful business.

Michael Masterson – Although less widely known than many on this list, Michael is a serial entrepreneur known for walking his talk, and is quickly gaining a great reputation for sound wisdom. His excellent book Ready, Fire, Aim is must reading for both entrepreneurs and managers. Michael is the founder of one of the country's most popular daily ezines, Early To Rise.

Suzie Orman – Love her or hate her, no one can deny that over the last decade Suze has been a consistent voice for sound personal financial planning. One can't be building or managing a recession proof business without also paying attention to one's own personal financial position. Suze Orman's Resource Center is a great starting point for tapping her wisdom

Tom Peters – Twenty-five years after his landmark book, In Search of Excellence, Tom still is one of the leading proponents of the need for change to stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. His site is filled with the timeless wisdom of his slide presentations and handouts to audiences around the world. And Tom Peter's Blog is always thought provoking in his unique style.

Cheryl Richardson – Less business focused than the others on this list, Cheryl has migrated from her writing about business to her focus on self improvement. She recognizes that successful businesses start with successful individuals. Cheryl's newest book, The Art of Extreme Self Care, is especially relevant in these tough times.

Brian Tracy – When it comes to breadth and depth of his writings on business, Brian has few peers. He is the author of more than 45 books and over 300 audio and video learning programs. His latest book, Flight Plan, is an excellent introduction to Brian's personal and business success strategies. See the LinkedIn profile for Brian Tracy.

Joe Vitale – Too much kinetic energy and hype for some, but Joe has established himself as a one man marketing machine since his appearance in the movie The Secret. Author of dozens of books, his Inspired Marketing is a helpful reminder that business success comes easiest when one is doing something that one has a passion about. See the LinkedIn profile for Joe Vitale.

Any list of a dozen experts will, regretfully, leave off some superb resources. But, this is a good starting place for accessing wisdom on building a recession proof business, or... even better... a business that will thrive in these challenging times.