But looking back now, all of those negative aspects seem to be overshadowed by the positive ones. Although I could call all of this an “assignment,” it’s proven to be much more than that. Over the course of the semester, I met people I never thought I’d talk to, learned about businesses I never dreamed existed, and created things I never thought I’d have the capacity to.

And aside from that, I hope that maybe someone  – even if it is only one person —  who reads any of the posts on my blog, the modules on my Web site, or takes time to watch and listen to my slideshow, will be inspired to take a chance and start the business they’ve always dreamed of. Maybe they’ve been hesitant as a result of the economy, and perhaps by just reading, seeing and hearing about any of these success stories, maybe they’ll find some motivation to create a similar story.

With all the negativity we hear in the news about the current recession, it’s easy to lose our sense of  motivation and optimism But that’s what was different with all of these people I talked to — they still possessed these qualities. It’s not that they were ignorant of the recession, because in fact, they all were very aware and knowledgeable of it. It was that they were passionate about what they were doing and who they were doing it for. That passion led to optimism, which ultimately led to success. And being able to witness this success firsthand, and get the opportunity to share it with others, has been a very rewarding experience. Hopefully, the same will hold true for someone who reads my work.

So, while there were many times throughout the semester when things just weren’t going the way I would have liked or anticipated, I realize now that it was all worthwhile. I can honestly say that, after looking at the final product and all the work I put forth, this was not only a challenging and enlightening course, but a very satisfying one. There have been every few courses or assignments throughout my college career where I’ve felt an honest sense of accomplishment in the end. This has definitely been one of them.

On my regular commute between Towson and Manchester, Md., I pass by this small market that sits at an intersection corner in Upperco, Md., appropriately named Upperco Market. It’s an old house turned cafe, and aims to catch customers as they pass by on the heavily traveled Falls Road.

So today, I decided to give the market a call and see how business was going. Maybe I’d find that being located alongside such a busy road would help bring in customers.

But instead, while talking to an employee, I came to the realization that, despite a lot of the good experiences I’ve heard of in recent weeks, there are also some businesses out there experiencing the other end of the spectrum.

Let’s take a look at my abrupt interview:

I asked if the recession has affected the business and how:

“Yes, not gonna answer that,” was the answer I received.

I asked what their strategy for tackling the recession was:

“One day at a time,” is what I was told.

I questioned whether the location alongside a busy road helped business:

“No, it doesn’t,” was all I got.

So, what I’m getting at here is that despite  all the stories of optimism and success I’ve posted on this blog, there is also bound to be much of the opposite. It’s clear that new businesses are going to have their fair share of downtimes, and some may experience them more often than others. It’s all just a part of this economic crisis, and at times, that’s hard to talk about.

Let’s look at my two favorite stories:

Sergio Santos: Architect with a small space and a big imagination.

My personal favorite. Santos lost his job and couldn’t afford to pay for his apartment. Rather than renting a bedroom, he instead presented to the landlord the option of renting just his 14 foot long closet for a small fee. With his architectural imagination he turned it into a spacious living and freelance work area, which he claims can host around 10 people inside. His personal Web site shows some images of his project/home. So, what can we take from this? Don’t be afraid to give up a little comfort to ease your financial situation — and don’t be afraid to think outside the box.

Santos' Web site has a slideshow of the closet turned home and workspace.

Wendi Ezgur: The traveling family.

Feeling financial stress, Ezgur presented an idea to her husband to put their family’s house up for rent, buy an RV, and live on the road. Her husband could work from his computer and phone, and the three kids could be taught in the RV, learning lessons through sightseeing and national landmarks. To make it actually worthwhile, Ezgur, with her corporate consultant background, created a brand strategy and Web site for familyofftrack.com. After gaining some big name sponsors, Ezgur’s off-the-wall idea turned into a marketing dream, as companies like Geico used Family Off Track to spread their name. The RV endeavor is now a staple part of their lives, as they develop Family Off Track into a bigger and more known brand. Sometimes, it just takes a little creativity, and who knows, maybe your odd idea could turn into a marketing, life-changing sensation.

Along with the two other stories, one of an engineer turned comedian, and the other of a speech pathologist turned farmer, the article also gave some good advice and tips on how to turn your possible misfortune into a possible success story.

And ending with a quote from Ezgur’s Family Off Track home page: “The moment is looks as though all is lost is the precise moment you have nothing to lose.”

I revisited Cheryl Owens’ Trenditions, and talked with Jennifer Magnesi, a hairstylist at the salon. I was curious to see if she ever worried about the risks of the economy, and also what she thought made Trenditions a viable business option during these times.

Jennifer Magnesi (left) straightens up her workspace at Trenditions in Towson, Md.

“I wouldn’t say I was ever  necessarily concerned,” she said. “[The recession] isn’t hurting this industry and more or any less then another.”

And it seems that if a hair salon can attract a solid clientele base, then business should do well. For the most part, people will always need to get their hair cut.

But attracting clientele is often the most difficult part. Mangnesi argues that because Trenditions is privately owned — versus being a franchise like many competing salons in the area — customers are ultimately more attracted and more likely to come back.

“It’s a lot more comfortable for people…It’s more personable.”

And it’s this level of comfortability that attracted her to come work there — despite the known risks of the economy.

“It’s a lot more laid back. Here you can express yourself  more which is key in being a hairstylist. Here we can just be cool and do things how we want.”

The reason? Candy is comforting.

The article said how candy and sweets often evoke feelings of nostalgia. It could be memories of childhood, like trick-or-treating on Halloween, or perhaps baking chocolate-chip cookies on Christmas. And the fact that candy is relatively inexpensive makes it even more appealing during these times.

After reading back on this topic, I decided to dive deeper into the subject and find a more current article. After all, the economy hasn’t gotten any better since March, so maybe the nation is finally feeling a crash from its sugar high.

That doesn’t seem to be the case.

An article on Medill Reports, a site run by graduate students at Northwestern University’s Medill school, revealed that comfort foods like cupcakes, candy and even coffee, are remaining very successful.

Businesses specializing in comfort foods seem to be recession-proof. (Photo credit: C. Michael Neely/Wikimedia)

The article said that consumer psychology research has found that taking breaks, whether with cupcakes or even a cup of coffee, is beneficial in dealing with stress. Today, when people are overwhelmed with the stresses of the economy, it’s especially important to be able to escape every now and then — even if only for a few minutes.

With that in mind, I couldn’t help but to think back yet again to Martha Todd’s French Press Cafe. Similar to the subjects of the aforementioned articles, Todd said she wasn’t feeling any ill-effects of the recession. Most likely, her business is doing well for similar reasons: people need to relax, and her services help them to do such in an affordable way.

As I think ahead to my slideshow, I plan to focus it on the French Press Cafe. Not only does the business prove to be a story of success for Todd, but it also proves to be a glimpse of optimism for everyone else.

In times like these, optimism is the best strategy.

The presentation begins with calm, somber music, as the title screen reads: “The Story of the Last Great Supply of Drinking Water on Earth.” It’s obvious that this won’t be the most light-hearted of multimedia projects. The presentation tells the gloomy future of the Great Lakes’ water supply, for people and wildlife, if nothing is done to save it.

Navigation icons like this are composed of Waterlife's numerous thumbnail images.

As you enter, thumbnails of hundreds of little pictures soar about the screen as if they were each tiny molecules of water. They finally conjoin at the center, taking shape of whatever subtitle is chosen from the navigation bar (there’s a bar to the left, as well as a more interactive one at the bottom of the page). It’s a captivating and ingenious element, as it shows how water is part of everything in life.

But the most effective aspect of the entire presentation is the interactivity. Users can click on just about everything, from every tiny little thumbnail, to even individual paperclips that decorate the edges of a page. Everything does something.

And the seamless connectivity of visuals, audio and text is simply stunning. Each page is unique in every way, displaying some sort of picture, chart or graphic as the information is displayed alongside it. After a few seconds, a voice or sound clip will start, providing either an anecdote or a though-provoking but of information. Amazingly, there’s never a point where the user feels overwhelmed with the multimedia — everything is fluid.

Waterlife is incredibly interactive. Those photographs, the frog's eyes, even the paperclips are animated.

Of course, the producers of Waterlife put just as much into the research of the project as they did into the presentation of it. It’s clear that they talked to numerous sources, compiled endless amounts of statistics and information, and really strived to portray the effect of the Great Lakes on everyone and everything. The text is so powerful and enlightening, that the visuals and audio only add to it, not distract from it. I honestly can’t think of a single element I would change. Even with all of the multimedia, the pages loaded surprisingly fast.

In the end, Waterlife is a production unlike any other. It does more than simply entertain and inform through it’s flawless integration of sights, sounds, and script; it promotes awareness and  change.

And most importantly, it inspires action.

Trenditions Hair Salon in Towson, Md.

On the outside, Cheryl Owens’ hair salon comes off as a plain, do-it-yourself type of business. With its gray walls, nothing sets the building apart from any other along Chesapeake Avenue in Towson, Md. I admit, upon my first visit, I expected it to be just another privately owned place to get a haircut. I could picture the interior: white walls lined with chairs, sinks and a rack full of Paul Mitchell hair products.

That was until I walked in.

The walls were painted a deep maroon, and each mirror that aligned them was separated by a large star, reminiscent of one you’d find inked above the elbow of a rockstar or a bearded motorcycle buff.

And that’s exactly the image Owens’ salon, “Trenditions,” is going for.

“I wanted it to look like a tattoo shop,” she said.

It certainly does. From the punk-rock influenced decor, to the alternative music playing, Trenditions proved to be anything but the traditional hair salon. Good thing too, because the traditional hair salon can be found just half a block down the street.

Inside view of Salon. (Photo from Trenditions Web site)

Trenditions, which opened in August of 2008, has always been a dream of Owens’. Having previously been the manager of  a Regis chain salon in White Marsh, Md., Owens decided to finally take the step to being more than just that — she wanted to be an owner.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said. “I realized it was time to make money for myself, not someone else.”

Owens said that over the past year, Trenditions has seen considerable growth, despite the economy or the surplus of salons in the area.

“We’ve been booming. People are just figuring out that we’re here, and I think we’re really starting to flower.”

A surprise, considering Trenditions doesn’t have that “girly” vibe commonly associated with hair salons. But Owens believes that’s what’s made it so successful.

“The only thing that’s really hurt us is people not getting color,” she said. “That’s because more guys are getting their hair done here.”

By taking an alternative approach to a traditional service, Owens has set her business apart from the competition, attracting a demographic that most salons intimidate — men.

“We try to be more approachable…I think we’re a more comfortable place for them to come.”

It seems like a wise approach with the current state of the economy. While most businesses struggle for years to set themselves ahead of the pack, Trenditions has done so right out of the gate.

Visit Trenditions online.

But one thing that the video touched upon, which I found especially interesting, was the gender aspect of starting a new business. It never crossed my mind before, but how are women versus men faring in entrepreneurship?

Well, the two female small business CEO’s featured in the video, Poppy King and Nell Merlino, argue that women seem to be more able when it comes to heading a business during the recession. King, who founded and owns Lipstick Queen, says that women tend to be more poised when it comes business planning. She says women, because they like to talk a lot more than men, are more likely to start more customer-focused companies where there is much more communication between business and consumer — an element that generally makes businesses more successful.

George Cloutier, the sole male CEO featured in the video, seemed to agree, saying that women tend to also be much more optimistic by nature, something to be valued in gloomy economic times.

Click to watch "Tips for Starting a Small Business"

So, are female business owners more adept than their male counterparts? Well, looking back at my interview last week with Martha Todd, the co-owner of The French Press Cafe, she seemed to indeed have a very optimistic attitude to both her business and the recession. Rather than looking at what may happen, Todd was instead grateful for what has happened. Perhaps in times like these, that’s the best way to go about things.

After a few minutes on the site, I realized maps, specifically interactive ones, have come quite a long way in providing any and all sorts of data.

My personal favorite: the FluTracker. This map proves to be useful for the hypochondriac in us all, as it collects data from news reports, official sources, etc. to display the various H1N1 cases across the world. Users can easily see all types of cases, from suspected to fatal.

FluTracker allows users to see flu cases across the globe.

Another potentially useful map, perfect for all the ambulance chasers out there, is Public911. This one tracks all the active and closed emergency calls for a specific city. As of now, it only cover the Seattle area, but hopefully it will expand in the near future. I’m sure there’s a lot of other people out there, like myself, who would find pleasure in seeing what the local emergency crews are up to.

Users can track active and closed emergency calls.

This last one is just terrifying. The Geography of Jobs map shows the number of jobs gained (with green circles) and the number of jobs lost (with red circles) across the U.S. What makes the map most interesting, as well as frightening, is that users can look at data from 2004 to the present. While the end of 2004 displays large green circles throughout the nation, the end of 2009 displays large red circles enveloping much of the map.

As a soon-to-be college graduate, I can’t say this map was comforting.

No, those large red circles are NOT a good thing.

As someone who constantly finds himself late on all of the technology trends, I’m certainly glad I checked out these interactive maps. As exciting as Google maps has seemed for the past few years, it was about time I opened my eyes to what else is out there.