But, no matter how dark the clouds on the horizon, there’s always a ray or two of sunshine. The good news: this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen high oil, a weak US dollar and slowed consumer spending. There are more than a few good CE companies that have seen previous tough economic times and have weathered the storm before. In addition, despite how the news media portrays it, not every single American family is facing foreclosure on their home and heading to the breadlines.

In a booming economy, not only does it seem easier to find business and make money, but the number of your competitors increases in response to the greater demand. During the boom time, it’s important to differentiate your company and find ways to excel, but the sheer amount of business means there is enough for everybody. With homebuilding taking a hit and consumer spending contracting, differentiating yourself from the other guy has become even more important.

This white paper is a collection of best practices for thriving in a down economy. These ten practices are the common threads that hold great custom companies together, especially during the rough times.