Are you struggling with your small business, wondering about your companies state of survival during these difficult economic times? I have discovered a method to survive a small business and am happy to share this with others who are struggling to stay alive on the business front.
Being the Mom of 4 young children, and the owner of an online business is a challenge in itself.
Throw in a down turn in the economy, and that can put even the most financially savvy person up against a wall.
The fact that you are reading this article searching for clues, tips, and information on how to survive your business means you are a fighter and have a good chance at survival.
The following are some steps that can help your small business survive during tough times:

1. Drop the leaches - look through your company expenses and find those vendors/companies and even banks that take money regularly from your business either for their services, or interest and fees.
   Then evaluate how important they really are and if you can, drop them like a bad habit.
   
2. Examine your statements - you will be surprised at what you will find on the statements of even your most reputable vendors you are doing business.
   Don't be quoted one price, and charged another.
   Switch to another company, one who will charge you what they say they are going to charge you.
   This includes your shipping services.
   
3. Avoid solicitors - Avoid companies that solicit their services to you - If you are not out actively searching for a particular service, don't be tempted to sign up for all the wonderful promotions that sales people contact you about, including driving more traffic to your site, managing your shipping bills, advertising your business, testing your products, writing services, legal services, and all the other thousands of offers that will come your way either via email, phone, or on your door step.
   Learn to say "No".
   Did you know that the word "No" is a complete sentence?
4. Cut your costs -Paying monthly fees for loans? Services such as online fax? Interest on business credit cards? Consolidate your debit onto a 0% APR card and start paying the company debt off.
   Cancel the online fax service and send your information via email (as long as security of financial or other critical information is not at risk).
   Consolidate your company loans, credit cards on to one card with a 0 % introductory APR - hopefully a 12 or 18 month promo.
   
5. Minimize your bills - Strive to reduce your annual bills to the bare bones minimum.
   By removing all those companies who siphon money out of your business account regularly, and minimizing the number of companies you have been paying for services you don't really need, you will be able to get a clear idea of how much money is departing your account each month and year.
   Knowing how much goes out, will help you get a handle on knowing exactly how much is needed to come in to stay afloat.
   
6. Update your company policies - if your seeing a trend in your sales, returns, or traffic, make the appropriate changes in order to save your company, increase sales, reduce returns, and build traffic.
   Don't pay more to outside service companies, but take the time to learn these skills yourself.
   You will benefit in the long run.
   
7. Down size - reduce your inventory to the bare bones.
   Also, reduce your work force.
   When your companies survival is at stake, you will think twice about having extra employees, contractors, or assistance for jobs that you can handle yourself.
   
8. Don't buy extras - Office calendars are great, but you can print them for free online.
   Save everywhere you can.
   Including cutting back, or eliminating business meals and entertainment expenses.
   There will be a time when you can put it on the business card, but wait until that time comes around again.
   If you company is struggling to pay it's own bills, then "now" is not the time.
   
9. Keeping it Positive - Surviving a down economy will also take a strong mental attitude.
   Keep it positive and don't think failure,only success.
   Hard times, like good times, don't last forever.
   Put yourself in a position to wait it out, and you will be ahead on the upswing.
   
10. Don't be fooled by the media - You may hear all sorts of wonderful reports on the upswing in the economy, but all you have to do is look at your company, your finances, your drop in sales, the businesses closing all around you and your friends losing their homes to see that times are hard going.
    Be cautious, thrifty, stay calm, and be smart.
    
11. Hold Fast - when it's your company, you will be willing to make extra sacrifices in order to keep things running.
    Unfortunately, you will be required to work harder, make less money, and see less results during a down economy, but isn't it worth the work and wait to get to that next stretch of green grass just up around the bend?

There are more and more small businesses going out of business.
Don't be one of them.
Keep searching for answers, cutting company costs, keeping a positive mental attitude and learning new skills to help your business survive during a down economy, and you just might come out a winner in the end.