Now is a great time to start a company. Why? Because great people are available to join you, VCs are loaded with cash, and office space is available cheap. Everything is cheap and readily available in a recession.
Paul Graham says "If we've learned one thing from funding so many startups, it's that they succeed or fail based on the qualities of the founders." "Which means that what matters is who you are, not when you do it."
In good times all the really great people are busy doing fun projects...and not available to join you in a startup. In bad times projects are cut, people are laid off, and big companies retrench to improving the existing stuff. New projects don't get any budget. So, great people get bored and start looking for the Next Big Thing...a cool startup.
Raising money is a little harder, but not much. Good teams with good ideas can always get VC/Angel funding. In fact, VCs are sitting on tons of cash right now...and they want to invest it in hot new startups. Many VCs are reluctant to dump more money into an existing startup that is struggling, but will invest in a new startup idea. The promise is always more appealing than the reality.
Everything else is cheap and readily available too. Office space is always cheaper and more available in a recession. Existing companies will sub-lease space really cheap to offset some costs. Computers, software, networks, desks, equipment...everything is cheaper.
Expectations are lower during bad times so it is a good time to be in development mode, building a product, getting an audience, and starting a tiny revenue stream.
Customers are willing to try new things to save money in bad times. When things are going great they don't want to take risks on a tiny startup. If you can save them money in bad times...they are happy to deal with a startup.
Go for it! Now is a great time to build your great idea into a company.
