Cristina Cassidy, Cristina Cassidy Productions, LLC
www.cristinacassidyproductions.com

I have been in business exactly one year. If I had known what was about to happen on the economic front, I may not have dared to start my business, but I am glad I did. If I thought of survival only, I would have folded months ago. Instead, I have focused on the idea of thriving, of abundance. Every morning I wake up and say, "This is a day filled with possibilities." Am I delusional? A Pollyanna? I don't think so. I am networking more, calling on more prospects, improving my marketing strategies more than ever before. Still, what matters to me most is my commitment to my fellow entrepreneurs as we work together to survive and ultimately to thrive in these hard times. It's not how you behave when the coffers are full, but how you behave when they are empty. I suggest to everyone to look around, find a business colleague who is having a rougher time than you are, and reach out to help them in any way you can. That is how we have survived these kinds of economic times in the past, and it is just how we are going to get beyond individual survival and move into prosperity for Charlotte's business community as a whole.