In a time of deep economic strife, it’s clear that businesses are struggling – whether huge or small. But while the big boys are forced to lay off staff (we see the doom merchants every day – and it’s quite likely that we all know somebody who has fallen victim to redundancy) this could be a great opportunity for small businesses to reap huge rewards.

While reading an article on Marketing Donut which suggested that 20% of small businesses are facing a skills shortage, it just made me think that there is a plethora of skills available in the market, a lot of whom looking for work. The article itself was suggesting that businesses should be flexible and creative with existing employees.

However, it seems just as logical that the skills shortage should be met by the unemployed. Accountants, sales people, marketers – all with heaps of experience and all of whom looking for work are pricing themselves out of the market because we’re educated that we need to be employed. Why not stop looking for a job and consider providing a service?

Stop for a moment and think. What if you were self employed and small businesses actually paid for your expertise a few days a month? Not only do they overcome their skills shortage, you overcome your short term problem of being employed.

The small business world is amazing in it’s capacity to stick together, to talk and communicate and help each other out. Often this will actually help pull each other through – or at least assist with some income in the short term.

When there are so many online collaboration tools available as well, there really are no limits to what you can achieve by thinking just a little out of the box (or in our case, Cube!).

I do like to oversimplify everything...!