The recession is in nearly every evening news report.  We are in a recession, but it seems only a question of "How long?" and "How deep?" the recession will be.  The better wisdom, including the word of Ben Bernanke, seem to indicate an economic slow down through 2008 and signs of recovery in 2009.  The better wisdom seems to be to focus on stability and growth for a year as inflation eats away at our profits so that we can emerge stronger in 2009 to catch the better opportunities that are ahead.

It is valuable to know that the Green economy is not as fickle as the general economy because it is partially legislated, already scheduled for phase in, and has such a dedicated following.  In negative times, it seems a wise investment to press for a feature of your business that will connect with a winning concept.  Green is not going away, and knowing where the trend is going may be the best hedge against the economic illness of a recession.

Recession is like an illness because it causes us to pull back, cut our spending, and rethink our priorities.  Economies are cyclical, and good times do not go on forever.  We have had one of the longest growing economies in history.  It was so good that we had enough money and positive expectations that housing skyrocketed.  It only took an oil crisis to tip our overloaded economy over the edge along with inept policies in Washington. So, here we are in hard times with a struggling business to worry about.

This is not the time for capitulation when we give up and walk away from our losses.  As certainly as cycles of the moon, we will see every economy wane and surge like the tides.  I say all of this to encourage those in business. Things will get better as long as the next Washington politicians don't muck it up with confiscatory taxation.  It is a time of smart management as we prepare to emerge with a new positive attitude in 2009.

I believe it is also a time to correctly position yourself as the Green service in your area of expertise.  As you invest your dollars, it is not just a matter of replacing machinery, product, or people.  It is the perfect opportunity to structure yourself to emerge as the true and well-respected Green janitorial service in your area.

Why?  Well, this is the segment of the economy that is not going to shrink.  It will grow more slowly (but not negatively) than the general economy.  It presents current opportunities to pick up business based primarily upon on the Green issues happening right now.  Like buying gold as a hedge to inflation, getting your Green factor going now.  It is a sure bet that the Green economy is an expanding and will be dominant part of our lives in the future.

This is a good time to get Green Clean Institute Certified for your firm, and implement the processes that go along with that certification.  While we will be tempted to tighten up and hold out during this recession, the more intelligent approach is to invest into what will make you great in the period of recovery.  A recession is likely to thin the herd reducing the competition, so it makes an incredible amount of sense to be the janitorial firm that will be ready to expand into a new and greener economy that lies just beyond the 2008 correction.  Look for my exciting article on "Marketing in a Recession" for great ideas to building your janitorial business.