[nocivus]

That's a great point, regarding improvements on already existing services/companies; they will welcome any ways to decrease their costs or increase their revenues. But do you think that a recession is also good for starting a company with a brand new product/service?

[KLAW]

It depends on the market you're aiming at. Some market sectors are recession-proof, others less so. Holidays in Hawaii / Bali might be downgraded, but people will still want to go on holiday.

Also, it is competitive out there, but if you are in a niche then go for it. If you have a lot of competition then do it better.

I personally believe that the companies of the future that will do best will listen and learn from their customers. They'll engage with customers. They will let their customers tell them what they want.

We already know what works on the internet in terms of usability / user experience / product page design / checkout process, etc, so don't go reinventing the wheel. Many large companies still suck at this stuff (just look at the Gap.com website if you don't believe me).

Be the best. Understand the mindset of your customers. Make sense of your data. Iterate as often as is practical. And market the shit out of your product (don't forget to sell it to Google via a blog...).

What area are you boxing in?

[nocivus]

Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it. I'm currently aiming at some rarely explored user base in the social networking area. Can't disclose details, but it entails the sharing of life events.