📈 How to Recession-Proof Your Business

The economy is unpredictable.

Your business shouldn’t be.

Interest rates go up, markets dip, and suddenly, every headline is screaming “Recession Incoming!” 

Panic sets in. Businesses freeze. Some don’t survive.

The best entrepreneurs use downturns to get ahead.

While others pull back, they adapt, stay agile, and come out stronger.

I steered Greenbox Storage through COVID and came out stronger than ever.

Now, with FounderBrands, I’m ready for whatever the economy throws my way.

Use these 5 strategies to weather the storm:

1. Cut the Fat, Not the Muscle

When times get tough, many businesses go straight to slashing expenses.

Cutting the wrong things can hurt you more than help you.

Cut: Unnecessary subscriptions, vanity projects, or things that don’t drive revenue.
Don’t Cut: Marketing, customer service, or the people who keep your business running.

Invisible businesses don’t survive.

If no one knows you exist, it won’t matter how much you saved on software this month.

(Pro tip: Do an expense audit now—before you actually need to.)

2. Diversify Your Revenue Streams

If all your income comes from one source, you’re vulnerable.

The more ways you make money, the harder you are to shake.

Think about:

• New services or products - What else can you offer your existing customers?

• Subscriptions or retainers - Can you create predictable, recurring revenue?

• Expanding your audience - Are there untapped markets you can reach?

Small tweaks can create stability.

When every university shut down in 2020, Greenbox Storage pivoted to long-term storage for students. We didn’t panic, we adjusted.

3. Double Down on Customer Loyalty

In a downturn, people spend more carefully.

Give them a reason to keep choosing you.

• Overdeliver on value
  Make your product or service indispensable.

• Personalized communication
  Follow up, check in, and make customers feel valued.

• Loyalty incentives
  Small perks can keep customers from jumping ship to competitors.

A recession is a chance to steal market share while others neglect their customers.

4. Get Ruthless With Your Time

Your business can’t afford wasted hours.

Eliminate the busywork and focus on high-impact tasks.

• Stop micromanaging, delegate more

• Automate repetitive processes

• Cut out unproductive meetings

Hiring offshore talent is a great way to save time and money.

(Send me an email if you want a referral for a great offshoring agency).

Recession or not, your time is your most valuable resource. Use it wisely.

5. Stay Visible and Keep Marketing

When uncertainty hits, businesses often make the worst mistake possible: They go silent.

But guess what? While your competitors pull back, you can take the spotlight.

• Keep creating content
  Stay active on social media, email, and wherever your audience is.

• Be the expert
  Share insights, offer help, and position yourself as a leader in your space.

• Make offers people can’t ignore
  Adjust pricing, payment plans, or bundles to keep sales coming in.

The businesses that stay top of mind during tough times are the ones people buy from when things turn around.

The Takeaway

You can’t control the economy, but you can control how your business responds.

By cutting smart (not blindly), diversifying income, keeping customers engaged, managing your time, and staying visible, you’ll set your business up to continue dominating.

Tough times create stronger entrepreneurs.

Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways I can help you:

1. FounderBrands: Drive leads to your business from Twitter / X. Grow your online brand in only one hour per month.

2. Hire me as a consultant to take your business to the next level.

3. Offshore Hiring Guide: Learn how to hire inexpensive ($6 / hour) offshore talent in 3 weeks or less.

4. Promote your business to 1,800+ subscribers by sponsoring my newsletter.

Cheers,

Collin Rutherford

PS. Are all kids like this?