What do LinkedIn, FedEx, BurgerKing, Hewlett Packard and Fortune magazine have in common? [View all]

Want a hint? Some more with dates attached:

UPS (1907)
MicroSoft
AirBnB (2008)
CNN (1980)
Square (2009)
AllState (1931)
Amgen (1980)
Krispy Kreme (1937)
MailChimp (2001) ?

Answer: All of them were started during Recessions (or worse). LinkedIn makes perfect sense as the kind of business that would be started during a downturn -- people got fired and laid off. What do they need? A way to network and look for jobs.

Other businesses were not started during Depressions but greatly expanded when one hit. White Castle hamburgers were 5-cents each. White Castle started in 1921 and expanded greatly during the Depression. In 1932 they created Paperlynen as a subsidiary that made paper goods for their restaurants. In 1933 they bought out co-founder Walter Anderson. In 1934 they added Porcelain Steel Buildings (not the most creative name).

Businesses created during downturns often weather economic storms better than those who rely on optimism and easy money. No matter how good things get, they will always turn down again at some point and these businesses are good either way. I don't know much but I know that economics are often like an M.C. Escher drawing -- parts make sense but when you look at the whole thing it seems impossible.