The economy is sputtering and you need a stomach of iron to watch the daily fluctuations of the stock market; but people ARE still buying. Many businesses are able to make money in spite of the economic meltdown and some are growing at a rapid pace.

According to Automatic Data Processing (ADP), a provider of business outsourcing solutions, the outlook for small business looks optimistic. According to ADP, over 200,000 small business jobs have been created in the last six months. There has been a continuation of growth by small businesses, defined as companies with less than 50 workers, adding 28,000 new jobs in September.

Small businesses have advantages over large corporations. They are able to move quickly in response to market changes and customer demands. They can maintain close contact with their customer base more easily to build customer loyalty. And they can flex staff in response to business demands to save overhead.

Whether large or small, there are things you can do to grow your business in any economy. Smart businesses are taking advantage of the economic meltdown by marketing and acquiring new customers. Here are some techniques to build your business:

• Get closer. Have a focus group of key clients and ask them what types of challenges they are facing. Buy them lunch and listen to their issues and brainstorm possible solutions. Make sure you follow up with each participant, thanking them for their input. Look for possible opportunities for new products or services.
• Conduct periodic surveys. Use Survey Monkey to get customer input quickly on issues in their industry. The basic membership is free and you can create surveys quickly to be completed on-line. This survey service can also be used to gather input from employees, etc.
• Offer solutions. People are willing to pay if you can solve their problems, save them money, or save them time. No one likes to be sold to but people love to buy, especially if they see value. What solutions can you offer that makes life easier for your customers?

It's not exactly news that identity theft is a problem, but it is reassuring to know that at least some entrepreneurs are working on combating it, and in a way that doesn't require Joe Public to spend extra money. (I wonder if there is a guy out there named Joe Public, who gets ticked off every time someone uses his name to symbolize common everyday folk. I should look into that one day. But I digress.)

There are a growing number of services people can purchase to keep their identities safe. Yet the idea that I have to pay another monthly fee for this protection makes me kind of resentful. So I have to admit, as a consumer, I'm rooting for a guy like Ludwik Zon, 54, of Miri Systems, to succeed. He is the CEO of a startup, which is based on a technology that two of his business partners have developed. It's not on the market yet, but it's difficult to imagine how it won't be, if it really works the way he says it does.

The brightly colored Crocs were all the rage a year or two ago. Originally designed for gardening, their popularity quickly spread to toddlers, teens, teachers and other professionals. It was not uncommon to see Crocs at the mall, at work and even in church. But now, the company that couldn't keep up with demand has Crocs piling up in warehouses. The stock price has fallen dramatically from its heights earlier this year, when it was trading around $75, and the stock plunged nearly 51% in July after the company lowered its second-quarter guidance. There is even a new escalator warning cautioning folks not to wear Crocs on escalators. Apparently a few people have had exposed toes stuck in the steps.

What happened to Crocs? They simply were a victim of success. They became so popular, they are no longer unusual or unique. No one stops to ask you where you got them or if they are comfortable, because they are everywhere and they also probably own a pair. Crocs changed from being "cool" to being "dork."

Jan Dietrick, general manager of Rincon-Vitova Insectaries Inc. recently received a call from Fox TV. They were looking for 5,000 maggots immediately for a new reality TV show, "Truth or Consequences." They had to be clean maggots, according to Ms. Dietrick. "I was informed that the contestants had to eat them." She responded to the request and got to work. "We'll wash them, put them in deli containers, and have them ready for you in the morning," she informed the network.

The bug industry is growing these days -- and reality TV is just the beginning. The boom in organic gardening has turned bugs into big business. According to the Wall Street Journal, The Association of Natural Biocontrol Producers, a trade group that represents the 30 biggest insectaries in the land, estimates that about $200 million in commercial bugs are sold each year with the demand growing about 10% annually. And that does not include the order for millions of ladybugs that were poured over the actress Thandie Newton in the film "Beloved."

Recently on WalletPop, I discussed how the fine print in marketing contests can be disturbingly tricky for a customer who thinks that they've won a prize with no strings attached. But offering giveaways can also be problematic for the business owner as well. In fact, it can happen to any entrepreneur. It happened, for instance, to Goober Pyle in Mayberry, North Carolina.

On April 10, 1967, an episode of The Andy Griffith Show aired, entitled "Goober's Contest." Goober, who was Gomer Pyle's cousin, decides that he needs more business at his service station (I guess at this point, he had bought it from the previous owner, Wally; I'm a fan of the show, but I don't have every episode memorized in the order it appeared... yet). Anyway, Goober comes up with an idea for a contest, in which he gives out prizes of money for $10 or less. Unfortunately, an error at the printer that Goober hired caused one of the coupons to be worth $200. Floyd, the barber, got that ticket and wanted Goober to pony up and hijinks ensue.

If only Goober had had promotional insurance. He could have avoided a mess that almost cost him more than $200. It almost cost him a dear friendship.

There's a name for everything, it seems.

Florida Today had an interesting article earlier this week, all about flexitarians. These are people who are vegetarians, but not really. They're flexible in how they eat. They might mostly consume vegetable, breads and pasta, but every once in awhile, they'll have some fish or maybe a BLT, and don't hold the bacon.

Conversely, if all these years you've been eating Hoagies and Big Macs, but lately, quite frequently, you've been enjoying a spinach and roasted mushroom panini or a tofu salad, then, well, you may be a flexitarian, too. But if you're eating too many Big Macs -- well, you're probably not. Or maybe you are, or at least a part-time flexitarian. There's a line that you cross, and it's hard to tell where it is.

As I've written before on WalletPop, this is a tough job market for teens. The retail sector is the largest employer of teens and, given the uncertain economy, it isn't adding large numbers of workers this summer. I gave some suggestions for teens hoping to secure jobs, but the people at West Coast Asset Management -- Kinko's founder Paul Orfalea is among the founders -- have another wonderful tip: start your own business. Check out this article (PDF File) in their Exclusive Outlook for June.

Given the low wages that most teens earn, it's possible that many could do as well or better starting their own businesses -- even something as simple as mowing lawns. But the benefits can be more than financial and can more than compensate for any decline in income. According to the WCAM team:

... Many jobs for teens emphasize obedience, mindless activities, and hierarchical deference. Often, they train people to become followers rather than leaders. Starting your own business requires obedience too, but it comes from self-discipline. Your business may also require mindless activities, but you will understand the importance and value of the activity. And yes, owning your own business actually subordinates you to both customers and coworkers (if you do it right), but this is deference to an ideal of valued service, not power of position.

That's a pretty compelling argument for entrepreneurship.

Several weeks ago, I took my car to a Sears Auto Tire & Repair to have a flat tire replaced -- for free, since my wife had the brilliant foresight to get a warranty. (OK, honey, you can stop looking over my shoulder.)

I was stunned because to my utter shock, I experienced some great customer service. For starters, Sears has a bad rap, sometimes deserved, for customer service. But I was also stunned simply because customer service is more and more often hard to come by anywhere.

The guy who was in charge somehow managed to wait on me and two other customers at once, so that none of us had to go more than about 60 seconds without talking to someone. He was unfailingly polite. And when I was ushered into a waiting room, they had free Internet service, free coffee (I don't like coffee, but I appreciated it), vending machines and a TV, and I could watch my car through a window, so I always knew how my tire was progressing. I left within 45 minutes and was floored -- because the customer experience was fantastic. (Anyone at Sears, whoever runs the tire place near the Kenwood Mall in Cincinnati -- give that person a raise.)

And then, driving home, I got a little miffed because good customer service, of course, should be the norm. Instead, I had found myself thrilled because I wasn't ignored and then shuttled off to wait in a dark corner. Honestly, I think if the clerk had belittled me and then thrown me down a flight of stairs, and my two front teeth had fallen out, I might have said optimistically, "Hey, this isn't so bad. I mean, as long as they're going to fix my tire ..."

Over on BloggingStocks, I've written about Barry Minkow's allegations of fraud at multi-level marketing giant Herbalife.

Here on WalletPop, I thought it might be worth taking a look at Herbalife -- especially its recruiting tactics -- from the personal finance perspective.

On the Herbalife webpage, there's a form you can fill out to receive more information about becoming an Herbalife distributor. Among the questions:

How much would you like to earn monthly?
An extra $500
An extra $1,000
An extra $2,000
The sky's the limit!

Most entrepreneurs probably don't consider now a good time to launch a big enterprise. In spite of Bernanke's claims that we're not in Vietnam anymore, inflation numbers are up and people are bracing themselves for months of high gas prices, low wages, political uncertainty and overall doom. Which, come to think of it, is the ideal time to throw some money into a start-up.

But, where is the money going to come from? Check it: Business reporter Matt Alderton has a handy 5-point plan for securing small business financing. And here's the clincher: They all start with M!

1. Mojo: If you want to impress the bank (or any lender) you're going to have to suck it up and break out the PowerPoint. And it doesn't hurt to roll up your sleeves, look people in the eye and if possible crack your knuckles.

Calling all young entrepreneurs. I mean, really young entrepreneurs.

If you know a youthful businessperson between the ages of 12 and 19, you may want to tell them about a contest and a book. Financial consultant, author and speaker Peter Bielagus is offering a $1,000 grant in venture capital to the young entrepreneur with the most interesting tale of their business dealings so far. So if you know a young entrepreneur who either has a business or one in the planning stages,here's what you do.

Send a 250-word essay describing the business to peter@peterbspeaks.com with the word "contest" in the subject line. You need to include a description of how you came up with the idea, how you got started or plan to start, what obstacles you faced or face, and what you will do with your $1,000.

So you want to start a business, but you're not sure what industry to go into, especially if a recession is coming? Well, you're in luck. Here's my handy-dandy list of the fastest growing industries, trends, developments and anything else I could find that's fastest-growing. I did this by pouring through piles of data and interviewing 11,241 scientists, academics and movers and shakers. (Actually, I just googled "fast-growing" a lot, but close enough.) In case it helps you with brainstorming, in no particular order, here's what I came up with.

Fastest-growing economy: China
Who says? Everyone. It's common knowledge, but there you go, in case you forgot...

Fastest growing segment of the leisure travel industry: Adventure Travel
Who says? Hey, this is a shock. The Adventure Travel Trade Association

Foreclosures are up. The dollar isn't what it used to be. Gas is over $3 a gallon. Well, you read the papers and live life. We all know the story.

That's why I thought I'd ask Brett Wilder what type of person is typically what so many people want to be -- a millionaire. I figure he might know, having written the book last year, The Quiet Millionaire: A Guide for Accumulating and Keeping Your Wealth .

Wilder cited the typical characteristics of a business millionaire owner, because, well, let's face it, you tend to become rich by owning a company rather than spending years working in its mail room. In any case, if you want to be a millionaire, here's your road map, according to Wilder.

Be socially adept. Millionaires "possess motivational leadership qualities, and the ability to articulate ideas, products and services," says Wilder.

My PhD reads psychology, not economics, so I won't bet the house on the Bush stimulus package's chances of preventing or softening a recession.

But I have counseled and coached many who were outright terminated, downsized out, or who feared a pink slip in their next pay envelope. The conversations typically move from money to the things that more fundamentally bring us fulfillment -- or that should. The menu usually includes priority setting and value re-ordering, with a healthy side of blessing counting.

Fear of job loss or not, times like these are ripe for thinking ahead to how we'll feel, and what we'll do when we retire, and the regular paycheck stops. (Yes, there are Social Security checks, pension benefits and annuity streams. But trust me, none of these feel as "earned" as a paycheck.)

Journalists and business analysts are sitting up and taking note of business bloggers. Can it be profitable? Does it really create more business for the bloggers? Is it worth the time and effort? How can small businesses blog for success?

The New York Times profiled a few blogging success stories, and readers are starting to agree that blogging can be good business. The appeal of blogging is simple: It's a low-cost way for a business to generate buzz. The biggest "cost" is typically the time spent developing materials for the site. Yet experts estimate that only about 5% of small businesses (those with 100 or fewer employees) use blogs for marketing and promotion.

The real success in blogging is for the select few who have mastered that fine combination of engaging content, regular updates, and loyal readers. Not everyone should blog, and indeed there are certain industries that lend themselves better to blogging. A business consultant will probably have more reason to blog than a grocery store owner. Companies in innovative industries with constant change are more likely to find success blogging than other slow-paced, traditional industries.