Things may not look that great around the business but there are always silver linings. One of the ways in which a business does well is with the optimism of the proprietor.  Your focus on the things that seem to be working for the category will help you find solutions where there seem to be none. When businesses work it is usually the ingenuity of the proprietor and the team in spite of the external environment. We humans can be an extremely driven bunch if we believe in certain purpose that inspires us and that will probably what will also help you when you see the business in a tough environment. Only those teams survive a tough environment when they have the belief and feel they are trusted by the organization. They are the once who connect with your customer on a daily basis. And if they are motivated they will be able to build trust with the customer as well. And if you are listening well they would be able to tell you things that they are hearing from the world that you will never get to hear and that which can change your business for the better. Also remember, it is only when a category or a segment is at its toughest phase is when most innovations and new directions emerge. So what might look like a low phase could be the right time for a new idea.