Yes, I have felt the lethargy of the world economy and the uncertainty of business development too. Yet, I hearken to the positive things that I see despite the death knell of over extended businesses.

I believe there is money out there for those manufacturing and retail businesses that have been judicious in their borrowing and spending.

Luckily, I am still called on to look at businesses, not always looking for money, who live on because of good conservative management. Recently I have seen a business that is in trouble because their market is slow, not because there is no market for their product. What I noticed was old machinery and several employees.

On the same day, I inspected a very well run manufacturing company, over fifty-years in business, that keeps up with high-tech manufacturing and efficiency. They buy new machinery, implement new process innovations, and have NO DEBT. This facility doesn't speculate. They know that they stand on solid ground before they spend money.

One thing struck me about this well run company. They have new CNC or late model machinery, and a new CAM program, but the owner's and employees desks and office equipment is plain and probably from the 1960's. They put their money in the meat, not the trimmings.

I believe that those of us who believe that products should be made here in the U.S. with U.S. skills and technology will get through the business slow down. The malaise is monotonous, but those of us who focus on quality will live through it.