Scott Bennett, I totally agree!
Personally, I’ve been hot on the path of starting my own business finally, after years of toying with the idea. With no job, and no prospects for the foreseeable future, I really have nothing to lose and much more to gain than I could ever get from a crap job “until the economy turns around.”
Approaching the creation of a business as a design problem gives one a killer portfolio. Even if you are not successful with your business, you can show your experience being able to consider more aspects of a product than just design itself. Who can honestly say that would not be valuable experience in an employers’ eyes?
In the county I live in, unemployment has jumped to 13%, but even those out of work are spending money. They still try to maintain as much “normal” as possible. Those with a job are not making big purchases, but they have certainly not stopped buying everything. The lowest end seems to be getting hit the hardest, while mid- to high-end is at least surviving.
People are more aware of value now than ever before, and as designers we should be able to clearly illustrate our ability to add value through design, weather or not its for the man or our own ventures. Its taken me a couple of months since being “freed up for other opportunities” to take the blinders off and see the opportunities all around, despite what the media says is happening. Recession or not, people are still living their lives, and there are still demands that beg to be filled.