There appears to be two different economic situations:

• First, the stock market has shown signs of life and if you are careful there is some money to be made (watch carefully for what goes up can come down).  Also,  if you own silver and gold, you are on an upward ride, and no one can predict how high the metals will go. (again, remember, watch the trends)

Unfortunately, many small business owners are struggling to stay alive and don't have the luxury of playing either the stock market or the metals market.

• The second economic scenario, which may affect the small business owner is the current  real estate market. We had more foreclosures in September than any other month since the beginning of our recession (  somewhere  over 100,000). This does not count the hundreds of thousands of foreclosures notices that were sent out. As the media published recently, the lenders don't even check the paperwork involved in the foreclosure process. The suggested temporary halt of foreclosures will further complicated the economic situation and prolong the decline in real estate values.

Even if the people who are "walking" their homes, due to loss in value and not their inability to make their loan payments, are not financially hurting, the excess vacant homes on the market will adversely affect all of us; see the following:

• Construction will not be able to rebound as long as new homes are not needed.
• The commercial real estate market is stagnant at this time
• Mortgage lenders may be affected if lenders require borrowers to go to them directly instead of using mortgage brokers.
• Lenders will continue to make borrowing difficult, even for qualified buyers
• Most people who have lost of given up their homes, have lost some equity. Those near retirement may have lost part of the nest egg they were counting on for their retirement years.

All in all, we will have, what I call the Real Estate Walking wounded casualties" who will still need to purchase the essentials to survive on but may be more included to start saving rather then to buy luxury items.

Unemployment will continue to be around 10% nationally and perhaps higher if you count those that are not eligible for unemployment benefits.

There are several markets that we, as small business owners, can work with: first, the 80 plus percent who are working full time and can afford to spend money and second, the other 20% who are counting their pennies, but still in need of products and services.

As small business  owners, we must change with the economic times and make sure that we target the market that is in most need of our products and service. We must also change what we offer to bet serve the needs of our prospects.

It's not doom and gloom, it's a different opportunity for us to grow and prosper and to help others.

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I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.