I'm currently operating at a point where I don't require (or even use) business loans to stay in business, and am profitable. Not by a huge margin...but am profitable. I've actually added staff this past fall.

The business has grown slowly, but remained steady. TLM Network is expanding. We've never been flashy or amazingly hot-cha, but our customers are happy, our employees are happy, we don't have to eat cheap cat food to keep the lights on It's all about working and living smart - and building up your support base when times are good so that you can ride out the bad times.

I have no idea how long this recession will last. Certain pundits are saying that the US economy will be in recovery by this summer...but frankly, I'll believe it two months after it happens. The US economy has been operating on shaky ground for far too long - this won't be fixed in a mere 18 months. But we're ready for a protracted period of lean running.

Hopefully I'll see many of the same usernames in these forums when all this shaking out is done. You're my competitors - some more directly so than others - but I wouldn't wish disastrous business failure on anyone. Luck to us all, for our customers' sakes as well as our own.