Another big company is in trouble. Warner Brothers is cutting 800 jobs, over 10% of its global workforce. Disney is expected to follow suit in the very near future. People, Warner Brothers is ranked first in the domestic movie industry.

So why am I telling you this? To scare you? No. I’m telling you because I really want you to think. Think about your future. Think about your destiny. Are you really, truly safer working for a big corporation? Do you know where you stand?

I’ve heard from a few folks who read my recent “Now really IS the time” post and have said they know people who have decided to put their entrepreneurial plans on hiatus. I’ve heard from others who are those people.

I know this is a scary time. I know it’s stressful, I know you’re afraid, I know the risk seems greater right now.

And I’m not telling you that you should start just any business. I wouldn’t recommend certain kinds of high-investment, high-overhead or high-risk ventures right now.

But I am recommending that you consider a style of business you may not have considered before- a business with low overhead, low risk, and frankly, low fear. In this economy, it’s not about halting your plans- it’s about adjusting them so they make sense and aren’t so intimidating.

I know, I know, you’re asking, “But what kind of business is that?!” It’s a Business in Blue Jeans. And if I told you everything in my blog, I’d be out of business. But what I will tell you is that there are ways to take your business idea and your business model and transition it into a Business in Blue Jeans. There’s nothing saying you can’t still pursue the rest of your idea down the road when the economy improves and things are a little safer to take the leap. In fact, I encourage many of my clients to start a low-risk venture first, to provide the funding for the higher-rise, higher-investment ventures they dream of. I call this a “leapfrogging business plan” and I’ve seen it work for several people (myself included, actually).

So if you’re thinking that now is not the time to start a business, that it’s too risky, too scary, or too expensive, think again. Shift your perspective, shift your business model, and ultimately, start funding your bank account for a time when you feel safe enough to start that bigger venture.

This week I heard from a few people who said, “I’d love to go out on my own, start a new business, but I’m waiting until the economy gets better.”

Okay. Fears about the economy are completely understandable. A lot of people are scared right now and it’s not hard to relate. But are you really safer with a big corporation than on your own? Let’s look into that a little:

• Do you know what’s going on with your company?
  Are you familiar with the books and do you know how stable the company is? What if your company isn’t doing as well as you think? Big corporations often work to build consumer and investor confidence, using press releases and other morale-building techniques to let everyone know how safe and secure everything is. It’s not unheard of for a company to conduct massive layoffs, just days after a positive-sounding press release. So again, let me ask: do you know what’s really going on with your company?
• Do you know if your company plans lay-offs?
  I’ve heard from some of my friends that their companies have made assurances to some while laying off others. Does anyone really know if their job is safe? Even in a great economy, you might feel safe, but most of us have had unexpected things happen. Let’s face it- companies aren’t evil but they may not always tell you everything. And it’s entirely possible that they may truly not plan to fire people, but may ultimately have to down the road.
• Do you have a backup plan?
  What’s your backup plan, in case something in your situation changes? Do you have one? Are you prepared, in case something goes wrong? Even if you think you’re safe and your job is secure, now is a crucial time to set up a backup cashflow. If you set things up now, you have plenty of time for your business to build and grow, so that if/when you need that income, it’s already in place.

I’ve shared two articles this week, one from Forbes.com and one from WomenEntrepreneur.com. Both say that now is a perfect time to start a business. The reasons why? First, you’ll find that services are more affordable. You’ll be able to get help for your startup are more reasonable pricing, and outsource at better prices as well. Second, this is a time when you’ll be more invested in the success of your new venture, so you’ll work harder and be more likely to succeed.

Although your instinct in a time like this is to play it safe, now is the time to take a risk. You can mitigate some of that risk by avoiding ventures that require a large initial investment or overhead (Business in Blue Jeans is all about safety- and all of my products and services focus on it!). You can also mitigate your risk by starting something part-time while you’re still employed. Hiring someone to help you can be the key to your success.

I know starting a business now can feel like a scary endeavor. But I can absolutely promise you that now is the time to do it and if you do it now, you’ll be glad you did. What would have happened if Walt Disney, Bill Gates and others like them decided not to start their companies when they did (and remember, Disney, Microsoft and Hewlett Packard are just three of the many companies started during economic conditions just like these)?

Everybody’s agreeing with me!  LOL  Entrepreneur (actually, it’s WomanEntrepreneur) says in this article that “though it may seem counterintuitive, hard economic times like these can actually be a good time to start a business. With layoffs occurring more frequently in the corporate world–and pensions and full health-care benefits a thing of the past–workers are risking less by exiting their corporate jobs.”  They recommend following your bliss, mitigating risk, and sticking with it.

Wow, that sounds like something I would say. 

I just read this article and Forbes is agreeing with what I’ve been saying in my e-zine for months now! Forbes says this is a great time for a startup and many of our strongest, most well-known companies (like Disney, Johnson and Johnson and Microsoft) were started in recessions.

Check out the article and start thinking about your startup today!