The upside of downturns

Like beginning a workout routine or watching The Office for the 10th time, there’s no “right” or “wrong” moment to start a business. (Just ask Burger King and Microsoft, two powerhouses founded during recessions!) Discover our top 12 recommendations for businesses to start in an economic downturn, along with resources and tools you’ll need to make the most of this time.

The proof is in the pudding

Here at AppSumo, we don’t just sell knockout tools—we make them, too. That means that we’ve experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations that come along with selling digital products. In this blog post, David Kelly, the General Manager of our homegrown tools team—AppSumo Originals—shares six actionable tips for growing businesses in times of uncertainty with steps you can take right now to recession-proof your biz.

Speaks and valleys

We're always looking for ways to improve your AppSumo experience, and we can't do it without your input! Got thoughts about what features you'd like to see us roll out? Have feedback to share? Talk to us!

Dukaan: Build your perfect online store and ecommerce app in record time, so you can get to selling fast. Launch your shop ASAP.

Nifty: Manage tasks, deadlines, and projects effortlessly from one team-friendly dashboard. Keep your team on track.

DMARC Report: Monitor domain security and boost your sender reputation without any hassle. Protect your brand.

ProductDyno: Create and sell digital products jam-packed with content like video and downloadable files. Turn your knowledge into income.

I'm with the brand

This month, the team over at Publer refreshed their branding for a more updated and personalized look. They're still the same superhero social scheduler tool you know and love, just with a little more… ka-pow!

Quick fix

Go the extra mile with your SEO strategy thanks to Quickblog's newest additions, including 301 redirects, RSS imports, schema markup, and Quickblog domain-hosted sitemaps.

High question marks

Thanks to LiveWebinar’s latest chat update, it’s easier than ever to host effective and efficient Q&As. You can now improve the flow of your webinar by marking questions in the chat window to navigate back to later, and keep everyone on track with custom mini-boards that display upcoming queries.

Fave the day

Get ready to take your data collection to the hex level. Hexomatic has implemented automation favorites, unified search features, and added over 100 sites to their discover Hexomatic profile automation. Plus, they’ve added 10 new tutorials!

Sort stories

In June, Hexowatch rolled out a host of improvements including an upgraded UX, more sorting options, and improved monitors. Now, keeping an eye on site changes is a cinch.

Best supporting actors

With DeepWord’s newest update, you can overlay AI actors in the corner of videos, on top of video backgrounds, so you don’t have to use an external editing tool to add deepfakes to your content.

• Cash flow is king, so cut down on unnecessary expenses and experiments that aren't showing ROI.
• That being said, be bold when others are hesitant. In a downturn, marketing budgets are typically cut by large companies, which can drive down advertising costs on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. If an ad channel is working, double down and enjoy the savings.
• Watch the creditworthiness of your customers, especially your biggest spenders. Remaining close to existing customers and checking to see how they are doing during the economic downturn not only helps avoid unpleasant surprises, but could also lead to new opportunities.

When it comes to navigating business decisions in this economy, data is your trusty sidekick. Not only does it help you see and prepare for potential obstacles, but it helps you find ways to overcome them. (“According to this report, 98% of travelers recommend the trail over the snake pit.”) Learn what the data says about the state of subscription and SaaS companies, and why you don’t need to hitch a ride on the panic train.

Recessions are like thunderstorms: you can’t avoid them, but you can keep them from stopping your day by preparing in advance. (“I’ve got my car umbrella, my desk umbrella, my umbrella’s umbrella…”) Discover 27 steps you can (and should) start taking right now to protect yourself and your business from stormy markets.

The United States has experienced 14 recessions since WWII, but if you didn’t start investing until post ‘09, you’ve probably got about as much experience with bear markets as you do with fax machines. So, if you’re feeling stressed, take a deep breath and remember: recessions aren’t as uncommon as clickbait makes them seem, and you will get through this. Your focus now? Learning from history and getting proactive today.

You already know there’s no “right” time to start a business, but how do you determine the right time to launch your business? Well, it depends. In this inspiring and informative article, read what a host of experts have to say about starting new ventures in uncertain times and learn how to figure out whether you should step on the gas or slow down and reassess.